Peltier effect during spark plasma sintering of boron carbide

Abstract

The influence of the Peltier thermoelectric effect on the evolution of temperature, density, and grain size heterogeneities during spark plasma sintering (SPS) of boron carbide is numerically evaluated. An electro-thermo-mechanical model of the SPS process, which takes into account the thermoelectric effects, is developed and incorporated in a finite element code. A grain growth law is integrated in the numerical model. The model predictions are verified via comparison with the microstructure evolution data experimentally obtained by high resolution scanning electron microscopy of the boron carbide specimens processed by SPS.