In this research, synergetic and separate influence of nano-carbon black (C.Bn) and SiC on the microstructure and flexural strength of ZrB2 were investigated. So, ZrB2 and ZrB2- 30vol%-based composites containing 10 and 15 vol% C.Bn as well as ZrB2- 15 vol% SiC were fabricated via spark plasma sintering at 1850 °C for soaking time of 8 min under the applied pressure of 35 MPa. Relative density was measured by Archimedes method. Microstructural evaluation was carried out by applying the field emission electron microscopy (FESEM), and flexural strength was measured by three-point bending test. It was found the relative density improves in the presence of C.Bn and SiC especially in synergetic state so that the full densification was gained in Z30Si10C.Bn and Z30Si15C.Bn composites through their reactions with impurities at 1850 °C. In the monolithic ZrB2 system, the C.Bn addition improves the flexural strength slightly to 300 MPa and 315 MPa from 290 MPa. However, co-doped 10 vol% C.Bn with 30 vol% SiC resulted to achieve maximum flexural strength of 486 MPa in comparison with individually applying each of them (395 MPa for Z30Si and 300 MPa for Z10 C.Bn).

The sintering behaviors and process parameters of some compounds (carbides, oxides, sulfides, borides) were investigated experimentally. These compounds were successfully consolidated and showed high densities. Some unique phenomena such as retardation of grain growth, suppression of thermal decomposition and maintenance of initial non-equilibrium phases, were observed by the proper control of process in spark sintering.

The effect of a CAM (Continuous Attrition Mill) treatment on the sinterability of ex-ADU powder was investigated. As the cycles of a CAM increased, the apparent density, specific surface area and O/U of the milled powder increased, but there particle sizes decreased. However the sintered density of the pellet decreased as the cycles of the CAM increased. It is considered that the decrease of the sintered density is due to the formation of , which was produced by a CAM mechanism

In order to reduce the sintering temperature of iron based sintered parts, sinteing properties of iron-copper prealloyed powder were investigated at various temperatures in the range of 700∼890, and than the rusults were compared with those of the conventional iron-copper-tin compact using elemental powders, The using of prealloyed as a new process improved its sintering performance at lower temperature than elemental powder as the conventional process. The relative sintered density and radial crushing stength of the compact using prealloyed were higher than those of using elemental powder at all sintering temperature. For example, the radial curength of the compact using powder was about 50kg/mm2 at 700, while that of the compact using elemental powder sintered at 890 was 43kg/mm2.

Mechanical properties of oxide based materials could be improved by nanocomposite processing. To investigate optimum route for fabrication of nanocomposite enabling mass production, high energy ball milling and Pulse Electric Current Sintering (PECS) were adopted. By high energy ball milling, the -based composite powder with dispersed Cu grains below 20 nm in diameter was successfully synthesized. The PECS method as a new process for powder densification has merits of improved sinterability and short sintering time at lower temperature than conventional sintering process. The relative densities of the -5vol%Cu composites sintered at and with holding temperature of were 95.4% and 95.7% respectively. Microstructures revealed that the composite consisted of the homogeneous and very fine grains of and Cu with diameters less than 40 nm and 20 nm respectively The composite exhibited enhanced toughness compared with monolithic . The influence of the Cu content upon fracture toughness was discussed in terms of microstructural characteristics.