Abstract
The effects of powder characteristics and conformation methods on green microstructure have been investigated, and microstructural evolution was analyzed based on the green density and the different sintering techniques. Colloidal processing of nanopowders with narrow particle size distribution (15 ± 5 nm) can be more problematic than dry processing and can lead to more heterogeneous microstructures. Two-step sintering can be used to obtain dense nanostructured samples with more flexibility than microwave sintering and still at lower temperatures than conventional sintering. The sinterability of Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 is significantly improved by Zn addition, which can reduce sintering temperature to values as low as 800, 1150 and 1200 °C for two-step, microwave and conventional sintering, respectively, in order to achieve relative densities above 90%. Microscopic grain boundary conductivity is shown to be improved in nanostructured samples, despite the higher grain boundary density.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
