Computer Modelling of the Densification of Alumina

A program originally designed to model densification during HIPing was modified to include 'pressureless' sintering by adopting an external pressure equivalent to the driving force for densification generated by the surface energy of the powder. Comparison of the model with this more prolific data suggests that at low pressures densification due to grain boundary diffusion is seriously overestimated. Results for alumina are used for comparison. 8 refs.