ABSTRACT. This work is devoted to the theoretical understanding of the microstructure/thermal conductivity relationships of compacted ceramic powders in the initial, nondensifying stage of sintering. A model, based on surface diffusion of vacancies, for the growth of the neck between particles is combined with numerical fully three-dimensional code calculations, which solve for the effective heat conductivity coefficient of lightly sintered particles. The predictions of the model are in good agreement with experimental observations. The approach presented here can be applied to solve a series of related problems, like dielectric properties, with arbitrary microstructure and multi-component composite of the powders.

This research was funded by the Structural Ceramics Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

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