Grain growth in sintering of clustered powder compacts

A theoretical model of grain growth in sintering of clustered powder compacts is outlined, showing that the microstructure evolution is stepwise continuous in time and its general trends can be predicted independently of the particular system and process being considered. The dependence of coarsening on densification can be accounted for by introducing a densification-scaled time variable (intrinsic time). The theory is successively applied to systems where particular local mechanisms of matter transport are supposed to operate, respectively in the initial/intermediate and the intermediate/final stage of sintering. The obtained mathematical models are solved numerically to follow the evolution of three regularly packed clusters. The model predictions are in good agreement with experimental data obtained by other researchers.