Fabrication Of Zn4Sb3 Alloys By A Combination Of Gas-Atomization And Spark Plasma Sintering Processes

Abstract

In this study, single phase polycrystalline Zn4Sb3 as well as 11 at.% Zn-rich Zn4Sb3 alloy having ε-Zn4Sb3 (majority phase) and Zn (minority phase) phases bulk samples produced by gas-atomization and subsequently consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The crystal structures were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional microstructure were observed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The internal grain microstructure of 11at.% Zn-rich Zn4Sb3 powders shows lamellar structure. Relative density, Vickers hardness and crack lengths were measured to investigate the effect of sintering temperature of Zn4Sb3 samples which are sintered at 653, 673 and 693 K. Relative density of the single phase bulk Zn4Sb3 sample reached to 99.2% of its theoretical density. The micro Vickers hardness of three different sintering temperatures were found around 2.17 – 2.236 GPa.

Keywords

• Gas atomization
• Microstructure
• Spark plasma sintering (SPS)
• X-ray diffraction