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Sintering of polydisperse viscous droplets
Fabian B Wadsworth1, Jérémie Vasseur1, Edward W Llewellin2
1Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Theresienstr. 41, 80333 Munich, Germany.
Physical Review. E
|April 19, 2017
Summary
This study reveals how droplet size variation impacts sintering. Understanding polydispersity in sintering dynamics is key for predicting material densification and properties in various applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physics
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Sintering, or droplet coalescence, is driven by interfacial tension.
- This process is crucial in manufacturing ceramics and natural phenomena like volcanic ash welding.
- Sintering leads to densification, increased strength, and reduced permeability in materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of droplet polydispersity on sintering dynamics.
- To establish a predictive framework for sintering processes involving non-uniform droplet sizes.
Main Methods:
- Experiments using glass spheres with varying size distributions heated above their glass transition temperature.
- Quantification of sintering progress by monitoring porosity changes over time.
- Modeling sintering dynamics using a system of shrinking interstitial gas bubbles driven by interfacial tension.
Main Results:
- Identified a scaling relationship between initial droplet polydispersity and bulk densification rates.
- Developed a model that predicts sintering dynamics for polydisperse droplet populations.
- Demonstrated that droplet size distribution significantly affects the rate and outcome of sintering.
Conclusions:
- Droplet polydispersity plays a critical role in controlling sintering dynamics.
- The developed framework enables accurate prediction of sintering behavior for diverse particle size distributions.
- This research offers insights into optimizing sintering processes for engineered materials and understanding natural geological formations.