Photon and e-field assisted low temperature sintering of metal oxides

Purpose and goal

It has recently been shown that weak electric fields (in the range of tens V/cm) are sufficient to significantly reduce the sintering temperature of zirconia. This was assumed to depend on the increased number of charge carriers, which in turn facilitate the bulk diffusion at reduced temperatures. The aim with the project is to increase the number of charge carriers and to evaluate how these will facilitate the bulk diffusion of various metal oxides.