ADVANCED USAGE OF SPS TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCING INNOVATIVE MATERIALS

It is undeniable that the usage of SPS authorizes exceptional performances such as the strong limitation of the grain growth, the fabrication of functional graded materials, the synthesis of various innovative materials and, at last, the possibility to carry out homogenous or heterogeneous joining without matter provision. Nevertheless, the phenomena that govern the sintering mechanisms are still poorly known and are the object of numerous researches in order to control this process that allows sintering, assembling, and synthesizing different types of materials (metals, ceramics, and composites). Many examples will come to illustrate these applications, obtained by the technology SPS available in Dijon, which allows submitting the sample to a DC pulsed current (0-8 V, 1-24 kA) while applying a uniaxial load (16 to 1250 kN) and, this in a range of varying temperature from the ambient one until 2 400 degrees C. The sintered samples can have a diameter varying from 30 to 150 mm. The experiences generally are performed under vacuum but it is possible to work under controlled atmosphere.