Numerical Simulation of Physical Fields during Spark Plasma Sintering of Boron Carbide

Abstract

Spark plasma sintering is a new technology for preparing ceramic materials. In this article, a thermal-electric-mechanical coupled model is used to simulate the spark plasma sintering process of boron carbide. The solution of the thermal-electric part was based on the charge conservation equation and the energy conservation equation. A phenomenological constitutive model (Drucker-Prager Cap model) was used to simulate the densification process of boron carbide powder. To reflect the influence of temperature on sintering performance, the model parameters were set as functions of temperature. Spark plasma sintering experiments were conducted at four temperatures: 1500 °C, 1600 °C, 1700 °C, and 1800 °C, and the sintering curves were obtained. The parameter optimization software was integrated with the finite element analysis software, and the model parameters at different temperatures were obtained through the parameter inverse identification method by minimizing the difference between the experimental displacement curve and the simulated displacement curve. The Drucker-Prager Cap model was then incorporated into the coupled finite element framework to analyze the changes of various physical fields of the system over time during the sintering process.

Keywords

• boron carbide
• spark plasma sintering
• numerical simulation
• temperature distribution
• relative density distribution