An experimental setup for shrinkage evaluation during electric field-assisted flash sintering: Application to yttria-stabilized zirconia

Analyses of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy plots and dilatometric curves of ZrO2:Y2O3 (YSZ) green compacts upon sintering show the possibility of choosing the shrinkage level of the green pellet by passing a current flash through the interparticle regions. The experiments consisted on inserting a YSZ green compact in a dilatometer sample holder, connecting either to a power supply or to an impedance analyzer, and monitoring the shrinkage upon sintering with and without applying an ac voltage in the 800–1000 °C temperature range. This procedure allows taking the sample from the first to the second sintering stage in few seconds without the occurrence of significant grain growth.