High pressure pulsed electric current activated equipment (HP-SPS) for material processing

• Published in: Materials & Design 2018-02, Vol.139, p.541-548
• Main Authors: Balima, Félix, Bellin, Federico, Michau, Dominique, Viraphong, Oudomsack, Poulon-Quintin, Angéline, Chung, U-Chan, Dourfaye, Alfazazi, Largeteau, Alain
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical Sciences; High pressure; High temperature; High-pressure spark plasma sintering (HP SPS), shear cutter for drilling bits and alumina; Material chemistry; Pulsed electric current
• ISSN: 0264-1275; 0261-3069; 1873-4197; 0264-1275
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2017.11.040

An innovative new system under high pressure syntheses activated by pulsed electric current (HP-SPS) was designed and built in-house with belt type apparatus (HP-SPS-Belt). This new HP-SPS- Belt with large volume chamber is capable of reaching high pressures up to 6GPa and temperatures until 1800°C. This system was pressure and temperature calibrated by using different metal calibrants. To demonstrate the efficiency of this new equipment in the present work, we have successfully shown the structural γ to α phase transformation in alumina under less severe conditions than in conventional high pressure and temperature processes. Further, we have also used this new HP-SPS-Belt to fabricate shear cutter for drilling bits in an economical way of fabrication. This study shows the wide interest of our unique designed equipment for various applications in materials processing to better control their microstructure and their properties. [Display omitted] •Innovative pulsed electric current process under high pressure (HP-SPS) is proposed up to 6GPa-1800°C.•HP-SPS consumes up to 55% less electrical power than conventional high pressure - high temperature (HP-HT).•HP-SPS is suitable for the manufacture of polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDC).•Compared to conventional HP-HT, γ to α phase transition temperature in alumina is lowered by 150°C at 3GPa with HP-SPS.