Ceramic sintering

Ceramic sintering is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material by pressure ^[1] or heat without melting it to the point of liquefaction. Sintering occurs as part of a manufacturing process used with metals, ceramics, plastics and other materials. Nanoparticles in the sintered material diffuse across the particle boundaries, fusing them together and creating a solid piece.^[2]

Silicon carbide element produced by ceramic sintering

Procedure

Heat and compaction fuse small particles into a dense mass

Ceramic sintering is part of the firing process used in the manufacture of ceramics and other ceramic objects. Sintering and vitrification (which requires higher temperatures) are the two main mechanisms behind the strength and stability of ceramics.^[3] Sintered ceramic objects are made of substances such as glass, alumina, zirconium, silica, magnesia, lime, beryllium oxide, and ferric oxide . Some ceramic raw materials have a lower affinity for water and a lower plasticity index than clay, requiring organic additives in the stages prior to sintering.^[4]

Sintering begins when sufficient temperatures have been reached to mobilize the active elements in the ceramic material, which may begin below its melting point (typically 50–80% of its melting point), ^[2]