Pure WC powders which does not include a binder phase were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process at 1600~185 for 0~30 min under 50 MPa. Microstructure alid mechanical properties of binderless WC prepared by SPS were investigated. With increasing sintering temperature, sintered density and Vickers hardness of binderless WC increased. The fracture toughness of binderless WC was 7~15 MPa depending on the sintered density and decreased with increasing the Vickers hardness. It is found that the binderless WC prepared by SPS at 175 for 10 min under 50 MPa showed nearly full densification with fine-grained structure and revealed excellent mechanical properties of high hardness (~HV 2400) and considerably high fracture toughness (~7 MPa ).

Mechanically-alloyed NiAl powder was sintered by Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS) process. Densification and behavior mechanical property were determined from the experimental results and analysis ,such as changes in linear shrinkage, shrinkage rate, microstructure, and phase during sintering process, Victors hardness, and transver.ie-rupture-strength (TRS). Above 97% relative density was obtained after sintering at 115 for 5 min. Crystallite size determined by the Scherrer method was approximately 50 nm. From the X-ray diffraction analysis it was confirmed that the sintered bodies were composed mainly of NiAl phase together with NiAl phase. Measured Vickers hardness and TRS value were 55510 and 139375 MPa , respectively.

Interpenetrating phase composites of -Cu system were produced via Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS) oi nanocomposite powders. Under simultaneous action of pressure, temperature and electric current titanium diboride nanoparticles distributed in copper matrix move, agglomerate and form a fine-grained skeleton. Increasing SPS-temperature and he]ding time promote densification due to local melting of copper matrix When copper melting is avoided the compacts contain 17-20% porosity but titanium diboride skeleton is still formed representing the feature of SPS . High degree of densification and formation of titanium diboride network result in increased hardness of high-temperature SPS-compacts.

SPS(Spark Plasma Sintering ) is known to be an excellent sintering method for porous materials. In the present work an attempt has been made of fabricating porous 316L Stainless steel with good mechanical properties by using controlled SPS process Porosity was 21%~53% at sintering temperature of ~100 The limit of porosity with available mechanical strength was 30% at given experimental conditions. Porosity can be controlled by manipulating the intial height of the compact by means of the supporter and punch length. The applied pressure can be exerted entirely upon the supporter, giving no influence on the specimen. The specimen is then able to be sintered pressurelessly. In this case porosity could be controlled from 38 to 45% with good mechanical strength at sintering temperature of 90. As the holding time increased, neck between the particles grew progressively, but shrinkage of the specimen did not occur, implying that the porosity remained constant during the whole sintering process.

Spark-Plasma Sintering(SPS) is one of the new sintering methods which takes advantages both inconventional pressure sintering and electric current sintering. It is known that SPS is very effective for the densification of hard-to-sinter materials like refractory metals, intermetallic compounds, glass and ceramics without grain growth. However, a clear explanation for sintering mechanism and an experimental evidence for the formation of weak plasma during SPS are not given yet. In this study, fundamental study on sintering behavior and mechanism of SPS was investiged. For this study, various spherical Fe powders were prepared such as as-received, as-reduced, and as-oxidized and then sintered by SPS facility. In order to confirm the surface cleaning effect during SPS neck region and fracture surface of sintered body was observed and analyzed by SEM/EPMA. Densification behavior was analyzed from the data of deflection along the pressure axis. Some specimens were additionally produced by Hot Pressing and the results were compared with those of SPS.

fine powder was synthesized by hydrothermal process from the mixture of titania-hydroxide() and barium hexa-hydroxide () as starting materials. Fine powder(< 100 nm) was made under the reaction conditions of 18,10 atm, 1.5 hr in autoclave and showed cubic structure. The powders were sintered by a spark plasma sintering technique from 1050~115 for 5 min. The grains of sample sintered at 110 were about 0.9 in average size and showed the mixture of cubic and tetragonal structures.

Mechanically-alloyed NiAl powder and ball-milled (Ni+Al) powder mixture were sintered by spark-plasma sintering(SPS) process. Mechanical alloying was performed in a horizontal attritor for 20 h with rotation speed of 600 rpm. (Ni+Al) powder mixtures were prepared by ball milling for 1 and 10 h with 120 rpm. Both powders were sintered at for 5 min under torr vacuum with 50 MPa die pressure in a SPS facility. Sintered densities of 97% and 99% were obtained from mechanically-alloyed NiAl powder and (Ni+Al) powder mixture, respectively. The sintered compact of (Ni+Al) powder mixture showed large grain size by a very rapid grain growth, while the grain size of mechanically-alloyed NiAl powder compact after sintering was extremely fine(80 nm). The difference in densification behavior of both powders were discussed.