Chapter 4 - Nanoscale mixing of dissimilar phases in bulk materials by current activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD) of core-shell powders

Abstract

Currently, activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD) has become a well-established tool for synthesizing nanocrystalline materials. Achieving well-controlled nanoscale phase distributions in large composites is still a challenge. Here we present strategies for achieving nanoscale mixing based on densifying core-shell powders. We discuss the CAPAD core-shell approach with regard to the densification process, i.e., the balance between densification and phase agglomeration and the use of core-shell structures to help with densification. In addition, we show that the combination of core-shell powders and CAPAD is a useful platform for achieving fundamentally different nanoarchitectures. For example, producing dense large sized composites composed of metastable nano-phases and achieving intimately mixed oxide-metal nanocomposites.