THE EFFECT OF AN ELECTRIC-FIELD ON SELF-SUSTAINING COMBUSTION SYNTHESIS .1. MODELING STUDIES

An analysis of the effect of an electric field on self-propagating hig h-temperature synthesis (SHS) reactions is presented. Using the synthe sis of SiC as a model, the analysis showed that the imposition of a fi eld results in a highly localized distribution of the current density. It was shown that the current is primarily restricted to the region j ust ahead of the combustion zone. Thus, in addition to the chemical he at release, this zone also includes heat release from an electric sour ce, a value equivalent to sigma E(2) where sigma is the conductivity a nd E is the field. From the dependence of the degree of conversion to the product on the applied voltage, it is shown that the velocity of t he combustion wave is linearly proportional to the field.