Viscous plastic processing of SiC with liquid phase sintering aids

Viscous plastic processing (VPP) is a method of forming ceramic materials using polymeric binders to create a leather-like material that can be shaped into various forms.

VPP can be adapted for a wide range of technical and advanced ceramic materials, but achieving the correct formulation and subsequent debinding and sintering steps must be optimised for each material.

The pressureless sintering of pure silicon carbide poses a challenge as it requires extremely high temperatures, close to 3000 °C / 5432 °F. Sintering aids, such as alumina, yttria, and magnesia, can be added into the powder formulation to decrease the required sintering temperature. This study aimed to produce a silicon carbide material through VPP that could be pressurelessly sintered at temperatures below 2000 °C / 3632 °F.

Authored by Alexandra Dobosz, the work was undertaken at The AMRICC Centre alongside MICG partner Lucideon and was supported and partly funded by UK Research and Innovation through the Strength in Places Fund Programme.

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