Abstract
This paper presents a review on the preparation of glass-ceramics (GCs) and, in particular, transparent GCs by the advanced processing technique of spark plasma sintering (SPS). SPS is an important approach to obtain from simple to complex nanostructured transparent GCs, full densification in a short time, and highly homogeneous materials for optical applications. The influence of the different processing parameters, such as temperature, pressure, sintering dwell time on the shrinkage rate, and final densification and transparency, are discussed and how this affects the glass material properties. Normally, transparent glass-ceramics are obtained by conventional melt-quenching, followed by thermal treatment. Additionally, the GC scan is produced by sintering and crystallization from glass powders. Hot pressing techniques (HP) in which the source of heating is high-frequency induction can be also applied to enhance this process. In the case of transparent ceramics and glass-ceramics, spark plasma sintering is a promising processing tool. It is possible to enhance the material properties in terms of its compactness, porosities, crystallization, keeping the size of the crystals in the nanometric scale. Moreover, the introduction of a high concentration of active gain media into the host matrix provides functional glass-ceramics systems with enhanced luminescence intensity through reducing non-radiative transitions like multi phonon relaxation (MPR) and cross relaxations (CR), thus providing longer lifetimes. More effort is needed to better understand the sintering mechanisms by SPS in transparent GC systems and optimize their final optical performance.
Highlights
Sintering through conventional heat treatment in a furnace is a high energy and time-consuming method to achieve the desired densification and crystallinity in ceramic and glass-ceramic materials
This paper review focuses on the importance of understanding new processing approaches to guide scientists and engineers in the development of alternative and superior materials
Most optical devices are equipped with single crystals, ceramics, glasses, or glass-ceramics owing to their high transmittance
Summary
Sintering through conventional heat treatment in a furnace (free or pressure less) is a high energy and time-consuming method to achieve the desired densification and crystallinity in ceramic and glass-ceramic materials. SPS is a material processing method, through the production of spark plasma applying pressure, temperature, and current, simultaneously. This method reduces considerably the sintering temperature, Appl. Some of the advantages of SPS processing [3] related to the supplying of direct electric current through the powder particles are the following: It reduces the sintering temperature and time through applying pressure, inhibiting crystal growth. It reduces flaws, voids, and microcracks, and favors to improve properties, such as mechanical and optical.
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