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A novel, integrated, fast, and inexpensive process for the preparation of dense Ba(1−x)EuxAl2Si2O8 thin ceramic specimens for damage sensor applications is reported. The processing approach involves a combination of combustion synthesis for the preparation of the powders and spark plasma sintering (SPS) for the consolidation of the specimens to densities close to 100% of relative density. The synthesis of the porous powders by combustion resulted in particle (agglomerate) sizes that were on average 421 nm, as determined from dynamic light scattering, and in the almost complete reduction of the initial Eu3+ activators to Eu2+. The powders densified to grain sizes of around 250 nm due to a collapse of the porous powder structure and minimal grain growth during SPS. Thermal treatment of the powders and sintered specimens improved the intensity of the emissions at 373 and 745 nm and diminished the emission at 485 nm. The luminescence phenomena from the specimens were a result of two mechanisms: (1) the removal of strain in the lattice due to thermal treatment, and (2) a charge transfer mechanism between Eu2+ and Eu3+.

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Nanostructured yttria‐stabilized zirconia powder (fully and partially stabilized) was densified using simultaneous applied current and pressure using varying displacement control rates for pressure application. The varying displacement rates were found to significantly affect densification rates as well as the final density of the products at all temperatures in the study. The densification rates were significantly higher than those previously reported without current application. In addition the effective densification activation energies are affected by the displacement control rates, highlighting the importance of pressure application method.

In order to determine the electrochemical behavior against the corrosion of different commercial biomaterials, in this study the results of the evaluation of different titanium implants are reported. The commercial implants evaluated were purchased randomly with different suppliers. The different biomaterials were subjected to studies of potentiodynamic polarization curves, open circuit potential measurements, linear polarization resistance measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in a 0.9% NaCl solution. The results showed that the chemical composition of the biomaterials corresponds to commercially pure Ti or to the alloy Ti6Al4V. In addition, although all the biomaterials showed a high resistance to corrosion, notable differences were observed in their performance. These differences were associated with the thermomechanical processes during the manufacture of the biomaterial, which affected its microstructure.