Spark Plasma Sintering Technology

ABOL/O/F/2004-003

Abstract

A French university laboratory has developed a new technology to elaborate dense nano-structured materials using high intensity electrical discharge. This technology meets the demand of high mechanical characteristic powder production, for the production of corrosion resistant parts with more and more complex shapes. The application of such parts is in constant growth in industry and notably in the automotive, aeronautics and space sectors. The laboratory is looking for industrial complex part manufacturing companies interested in a technical or R&D cooperation and willing to benefit from their know-how background or in a manufacturing agreement for semi-industrial production.          

Description

Powder metallurgy technology is more and more used in the industry. Particularly in the case of the production of high-tech materials such as : nano, FGM, composites, … 

To meet the demand of high mechanical characteristic powder production showing a better corrosion resistance and for the conception of more and more complex parts, new making and forming process have been developed.

 The current process is based on a technology known as Spark Plasma Sintering already used by companies in Japan, but which is new in Europe. This process is directly a competitor of hot-pressing processes (single axis or isostatic). The principle leading to powder material densification, combines a single axis-like compaction and a high intensity electrical discharge (from 2000 to 20000 A in a few ms). It thus allows to obtain parts with a 100% densified material in a short time (a few minutes).  

This technology can be applied to different kind of application fields : wear materials, cutting tools, thermal protection using metals, intermetallic materials, ceramics and bio ceramics, composites (cermets, ceramic-ceramic composites, polymer-ceramic composites), functionally graded materials (FGM).

Innovative Aspects
The main innovative aspects lies in the use of high intensity electrical discharge for sintering the powder rather than hot pressing traditionally used and giving less quality materials (e.g. not fully densified)

Main Advantages
This process allows to keep the structural state of the initial powders. Particularly, it allows to densify nanostructured materials (dense nanomaterials), and notably ceramics at ambient temperature. Thus, it allows to obtain directly usable shapes but also parts which can later be shaped through superplastic forming.

Current Stage of Development : on the market

Intellectual Property Rights

Patent granted - "One step synthesis and consolidation of nanophase materials"  - Z.A. Munir, F.Charlot, F.Bernard, E.Gaffet. US Patent 6,200,515 -13 Mars 2001, Int. WO 01/12366A1 – 22/02/2001

Organisation/Company Type:  university - research Institute

Organisation/Company Size: 11- 50

Collaboration

- financial resources, further R&D support, manufacturing agreement, information exchange  

- type of partner sought: industry, laboratories
- specific area of activity of the partner : any type of companies producing powders and/or ceramics (for cosmetic, magnetic, electronic industries), any type of companies or laboratories working in the field of nanostructured materials and interested to use this technology or to invest in further R&D.