Rapid Fabrication of Antimony-Impregnated Graphite Composites via Spark Plasma Sintering
الموضوعات : Journal of Environmental Friendly MaterialsA Sedaghat 1 , M. R Rahimipour 2 , M. Shirani 3
1 - Department of Ceramic, Materials and Energy Research Centre, Karaj, Iran
2 - Department of Ceramic, Materials and Energy Research Centre, Karaj, Iran
3 - Department of Ceramic, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran
الکلمات المفتاحية: Graphite Composite, Antimony, Molten Metal Impregnation, Porosity, Capillary Action, SPS,
ملخص المقالة :
In this study, a novel process for fabricating carbon composites saturated with molten metals was introduced and investigated. Using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) device, molten antimony was successfully impregnated into a cylindrical graphite sample. Mechanical pressure within the mold and suction caused by vacuum facilitated the rapid impregnation of antimony into the graphite pores. The results showed that the density, porosity percentage, and bending strength of the graphite before impregnation were 1.68 g/cm³, 21.1%, and 21 MPa, respectively. After impregnation with antimony, these values improved to 2.12 g/cm³, 14%, and 33 MPa. A notable observation was the complete filling of fine pores in the graphite, while some larger pores remained unfilled. This phenomenon can be attributed to the relationship between capillary force and pore diameter, where smaller pores are more easily filled due to higher capillary forces. In this project, the impregnation depth of antimony reached a remarkable 3 cm in just 9 minutes. Additionally, by analyzing punch displacement data, the precise timing of initial powder melting, impregnation into graphite pores, and process completion could be determined. The punch displacement halted at two stages: the first stop indicated complete powder sintering, and the second confirmed the completion of molten metal impregnation. The key advantages of this method are its high speed and significant impregnation depth.
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