Abstract
The fundamental characteristics of the early stages of sintering in alumina powder compacts have been studied. Two different alumina materials having medium particle sizes of 0.8 and 3.5 microns have been used. In conjunction with densification data, the techniques of BET surface area analysis and mercury porosimetry have been used to analyse the progress of sintering process in alumina between 1050° and 1350°C.Reduction in surface area with increasing temperature was more rapid in compacts of fine particles than in the other. The particle packing was inhomogeneous in the fine powder specimens; it was homogeneous in the coarse powder samples and pore size distribution was sharp. Non-uniform sintering in the compacts of fine powders occurred as a consequence of broad and multi-modal porosity distribution in the ‘green’ specimens. Pore growth was observed, which possibly occurred as a result of coalescence of small pores.
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