The densification parameters have been calculated for CoSb3 nanopowders treated within the field activated sintering. We have obtained the values of creep activation energy, strain rate sensitivity exponent and material parameter that characterize the creep process. It is concluded that densification of CoSb3 is due to the grain boundary sliding based creep. The simulation of the sintering process has been carried out using the finite element method; the change of sample sizes due to densification has been calculated using the creep model. The conformity between simulation and experimental results has been shown.
The analysis of the shrinkage rate of powders, based on the power-law creep model of a porous body, was carried out in this paper to calculate the compaction parameters of CoSb3-based skutterudites and Fe2VAl-based Heusler alloys within field-activated sintering. It was indicated that this method, which had already been used for metal and ceramic powders, is applicable for thermoelectric powders. The values of strain rate sensitivity were obtained, and the corresponding powder compaction mechanisms have been defined. The main creep mechanism for skutterudites was found to be a dislocation climb, that later was replaced by grain boundary sliding, and the last sintering stage was associated with diffusional creep. The main creep mechanism for Heusler alloys was grain boundary sliding, later replaced by diffusional creep.
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