ANALYTICAL TREATMENT OF THE ROLE OF SURFACE OXIDE LAYERS IN THE SINTERING OF METALS

The role played by a surface oxide layer in the kinetics of sintering of metallic particles is analysed quantitatively. Application of the analysis to metals with thermodynamically stable oxides gave results which are consistent with experimental observations. The presence of oxides which tend to dissolve in the metal at the sintering temperatures gives rise to an incubation period before the onset of sintering. Comparison with experimental results indicates that the oxide dissolution process is kinetically controlled at the oxide-metal interface. © 1979 Chapman and Hall Ltd.