SINTERING DEVICE WITH TEMPERATURE GRADIENT CONTROL

1 . A device having a sintering chamber, the sintering chamber being bordered by the following device parts:

i. a first punch interior surface of a first punch;

ii. a second punch interior surface of a second punch; and

iii. an interior surface of a die;

wherein:

the punches are adapted and arranged to apply a pressure of at least 1 MPa along a compression axis to a target in the sintering chamber;

the first punch and the second punch are connected to an electrical power source;

the first and second punches comprise at least 50 wt. % carbon, based on the total weight of the punch;

the sintering chamber has a cross-sectional width W perpendicular to the compression axis of at least 300 mm;

wherein the device is adapted and arranged to control a temperature in the sintering chamber.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first layer of the first kind that is in physical contact with a surface of the first punch, wherein the first layer of the first kind has an electrical resistivity in the range of 10 μΩ·m to 260 μΩ·m.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the first layer of the first kind has a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.1 W·m −1 ·K −1 to 55 W·m −1 ·K −1 .

4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the first layer of the first kind comprises carbon, silicon, or a combination thereof.

5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a layer of the further kind arranged at least partially around an exterior surface of the die, and wherein the layer of the further kind has a thermal conductivity, measured at 1400° C., that is in the range of 0.2 W·m −1 ·K −1 to 0.65 W·m −1 ·K −1 .

6 . The device according to the 5 , wherein the layer of the further kind has at least one or all of the following properties:

a. a density in the range of 0.005 g·cm −3 to 0.22 g·cm −3 ;

b. a mean specific heat capacity, measured at a temperature of 1400° C., in the range of 1.40 J·g −1 ·° C. −1 to 1.95 J·g −1 ·° C. −1 ;

c. a thermal emissivity in the range of 0.7 and 0.99.

7 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the layer of the further kind comprises carbon, a ceramic, molybdenum, or a combination of at least two thereof.

8 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the layer of the further kind has a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 45 mm.

9 . A process for the preparation of a ceramic body, comprising the steps:

a. providing a plurality of particles;

b. providing a device that comprises a sintering chamber bordered by a die;

c. introducing the particles into the sintering chamber;

d. applying a pressure P in the range from 1 MPa to 80 MPa to the plurality of particles in the sintering chamber to obtain the ceramic body,

wherein,

a temperature in the sintering chamber, during preparation of the ceramic body, is controlled so that the temperature at a centre of the sintering chamber is lower than the temperature at an interior surface of the die.

10 . The process according to claim 9 , wherein a temperature gradient between the centre of the sintering chamber and the interior surface of the die is in the range of 0.005° C./mm to 0.55° C./mm.

11 . The process according to claim 9 , wherein the sintering chamber is bordered by at least one punch with a punch surface, and wherein the electrical power density measured at the punch surface is adjusted according to a diameter of the ceramic body that is prepared.

12 . The process according to the claim 11 , wherein the electrical power density is decreased when the diameter of the ceramic body, to be prepared, is increased.

13 . The process according to claim 9 , further comprising the step of allowing the prepared ceramic body to cool in the sintering chamber at a rate that is in the range of in the range of 100° C.·hour −1 to 165° C.·hour −1 .

14 . The process according to claim 9 , wherein the device is a device having a sintering chamber, the sintering chamber being bordered by the following device parts:

i. a first punch interior surface of a first punch;

ii. a second punch interior surface of a second punch; and

iii. an interior surface of a die;

wherein:

the punches are adapted and arranged to apply a pressure of at least 1 MPa along a compression axis to a target in the sintering chamber;

the first punch and the second punch are connected to an electrical power source;

the first and second punches comprise at least 50 wt. % carbon, based total weight of the punch;

the sintering chamber has a cross-sectional width W perpendicular to the compression axis of at least 300 mm;

wherein the device is adapted and arranged to control a tempera in the sintering chamber.

15 . A ceramic body obtainable by the process according to claim 9 .

16 . The ceramic body according to claim 15 , wherein at least one or all of the following are satisfied:

a. a value for density divided by theoretical density that is less than 1.0;

b. an average grain size of less than 5 μm;

c. a standard deviation for the average grain size distribution that is in the range of 1.8±2 μm to 2.2±2 μm.

17 . An assembly comprising a ceramic body according to claim 15 .

18 . A use of a temperature difference for preparing a ceramic body having an extension of at least 300 mm by spark plasma sintering.

19 . A use of a layer of the first kind for preparing a ceramic body having an extension of at least 300 mm by spark plasma sintering.

20 . A use of a layer of the further kind for preparing a ceramic body having an extension of at least 300 mm by spark plasma sintering.