A Phenomenological Theory of Sintering

Abstract

Sintering occurs when powders are heated to temperatures near their melting points. This paper deals with the rapid increase of density during the sintering of single substances The increase of density cannot be explained by volume diffusion of vacant lattice sites or surface migration of atoms, but must involve macroscopic flow. The driving force for this flow is surface tension, and an equation connecting the rate of shear strain with the shear stress defines the resistance to deformation.