Effect of the Europium during spark plasma sintering of yttrium silicate powder

•Yttrium silicate coupons doped with Eu were obtained.•The presence of Eu incremented the rate sintering of the yttrium silicate powder.•The presence of Eu modified the activation energy for sintering of yttrium silicate powder. Spark plasma sintering process was used to densify yttrium silicate powder doped with Europium, at temperature of 1673 K. Densification rate was evaluated during spark plasma sintering of yttrium silicate powder doped with 0, 1, 2.5 and 5 Eu weight percent. The activation energy for densification of the powder was determined at early stage of the sintering. After sintering the microstructure was analysed from sintered coupons doped with Europium+3, identifying an yttrium silicate second phase present.