Effect of magnetite initial particle size in the microwave assisted sintering kinetics

• Grant number: 17/25209-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Ruth Herta Goldschmidt Aliaga Kiminami
• Grantee: Ana Laura Caseiro dos Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The biggest challenge in nanotechnology is to retain the material in the nanometric scale after the sintering process. The non-conventional method for sintering, as the microwave assisted is an excellent option to overcome this challenge. In order to control the grain growth and to obtain experimentally the thermodynamics parameters related to sintering, the kinetics studies during the process are paramount and can be made by the technic of dilatometry assisted by microwave energy, and the results studied by non-isothermal methods. Initially, one of the challenges of this project it will be in the obtaining of magnetite powders in nanometric scale. Therefore, it was chosen the sol-gel synthesis, ensuring high purity, good stoichiometric control and mainly its reproducibility. After the calcination and consolidation of magnetite crystalline phase, the goal will be the calcination of this powder in different times to obtain different particle sizes. Subsequently, it will be evaluated the effect of initial particle size in the sintering kinetics both assisted by microwave and conventional. The powders will be characterized by XRD, BET, SEM and TEM, and the sintering kinetics studies will be realized in a microwave dilatometer developed in the laboratory of the professor adviser of this project and in conventional dilatometer. The sintered samples will be analysed by the determination of the linear retraction curves, and according to these results, it will be studied the sintering kinetics and will be made the characterization of the sintered samples by SEM, TEM and magnetic properties. (AU)