Analysis of microstructural evolutions during advanced ceramics processing : I. Phase behavior of colloidal dispersion

The phase behavior and dynamics of colloid suspensions and the resulting structures and properties of powder compacts were examined by a computer experimental method for cooperative packing processes. A wide range of properties and process conditions such as arbitrary particle size, medium densities, field strength, and temperature could be examined using the Peclet number (Pe). We demonstrated that an optimum range of Peclet number for the ordering of sediments was present and that the phenomena related to the ordering such as the onset of crystallization, the phase behavior, etc. strongly depend on process conditions. The present work appears to be useful to design the processing method of ceramic spherical submicron powders for the preparation of high-density green compacts.