Modeling sintering behavior of metal fibers with different fiber angles

The formation of sintering necks between two metal fibers was investigated using the oval–oval model with respect to the fiber angle range of 0°–90°. Surface diffusion was assumed to be the predominant mechanism in every section of the junction of two metal fibers in this model, which was addressed numerically using the level-set method. The growth rates of the sintering necks in the direction of the bisector of obtuse angle, the bisector of acute angle and the fiber axis were discussed in detail. It is found that the growth rate of the sintering necks decreases with fiber angle increasing in the direction of the fiber axis and the bisector of acute angle. However, an opposite variation in growth rate of sintering necks can be found in the direction of the bisector of obtuse angle. The numerical simulation results show that the growth rate of the sintering necks is significantly affected by the initial local geometrical structure which is determined by the fiber angle. The oval–oval model based on level-set method is proposed to simulate the growth process of sintering necks between two metal fibers with respect to the fiber angle range of 0°–90°. According to the simulation results, the influences of initial local geometrical structure and the initial evolution speed on the growth rate of the sintering necks are investigated.