Nano Powder Sintering And Synthesis Of Nano Powder

Description
Over the past decade, substantial research efforts have been directed towards the synthesis of nanoscaled powders and thin films. For many applications nanoscaled powders have to be sintered (or consolidated) to make bulk materials. The goal of the sintering of nanocrystalline powders is to not only achieve full densification but also retain nanoscaled grain sizes. This is difficult because grain growth at high temperatures. Controlling grain growth during sintering and producing bulk nanocrystalline materials have emerged as a critical technology challenge for the development of bulk materials with nanoscaled grain structure.

Implications
The nano scale grain structure offers a hope for achieving such goals. By studying the mechanisms of deformation and fracture of bulk samples with grain sizes <30 nm, this research seeks understanding of two fundamental issues:
1) Do the nanocrystalline materials have better hardness vs. toughness relationship than conventional submicron and micron grain size materials?
2). Do the grain rotation and sliding deformation mechanisms operate in nanocrystalline two-phase composites such as cermets?

Research Group Contacts
Zak Fang, Department of Metallurgical Engineering

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