Electron Beam Sintering of Composite Al2O3-ZrO2 Ceramics in the Forevacuum Pressure Range

We describe our investigations of electron beam sintering of multilayer ZrO2-Al2O3 composite ceramics in the forevacuum pressure range (~30 Pa). To generate the electron beam, a plasma-cathode electron source operating in the forevacuum pressure range was used; this kind of source provides the capability of direct processing of non-conducting materials. We studied the effect of electron beam sintering on the temperature drop with sample depth for different layer thicknesses and determined the optimal layer thickness to ensure minimal temperature drop. We show that in order to minimize the temperature difference and improve the sintering, it is necessary to take into account the thermophysical parameters of the sintered materials. Forming a layered structure taking into account the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the layer materials allows a reduction in the temperature gradient by 150 °C for samples of 3 mm thickness.