Pulse analysis and electric contact measurements in spark plasma sintering

Charles Manière (1, 2) , Anthony Pavia (1) , Lise Durand (2) , Geoffroy Chevallier (1) , Vincent Bley (3) , Khalid Afanga (1) , Alain Peigney (1, 2) , Claude Estournès (1)

1 CIRIMAT - Centre interuniversitaire de recherche et d'ingenierie des matériaux
2 CEMES - Centre d'élaboration de matériaux et d'études structurales
3 LAPLACE-MDCE - Matériaux Diélectriques dans la Conversion d’Energie

In order to model the current density distribution and the temperature changes of the tools used during a spark-plasma-sintering (SPS) cycle, the variation of the power delivered by an SPS machine and the graphite-Papyex®-graphite electrical contacts were studied experimentally. The electric device was also characterized; in particular current pulse characteristics and their behavior with time were studied in various conditions of temperature, pulses sequences, materials and total electric power dissipated. It is well known that the performance of an electric contact is dependent on the applied pressure and the temperature. First, by varying the pressure during the SPS cycle the effect of the electric contacts is clearly seen. Secondly, in order to determine the behavior of such contacts experimentally over a pressure range of 10–50 MPa and temperatures of 50–800 °C, a Dœhlert experimental design was used.

Mots clés: Spark plasma sintering; Current pulses; Joule heating; Electrical contact; Papyex®; Experimental design

Domaines: Matériaux; Matériaux

Charles Manière, Anthony Pavia, Lise Durand, Geoffroy Chevallier, Vincent Bley, et al.. Pulse analysis and electric contact measurements in spark plasma sintering. Electric Power Systems Research, 2015, vol. 127, pp. 307-313. ⟨10.1016/j.epsr.2015.06.009⟩. ⟨hal-01493438⟩