Rapid preparation of dense (La0.9Sr0.1)CrO3 ceramics by spark-plasma sintering

Dense (La0.9Sr0.1)CrO3 ceramics were prepared using the spark-plasma sinter ing (SPS) method. The starting powder (0.2 mum) was densified to ca. 97% of the theoretical X-ray density with much shorter sintering period (5 min) w hile preserving a grain size similar to that of the starting powder. The si ntering temperature in the SPS process was ca. 1500 degreesC, which is some what lower than that of conventional sintering in a muffle furnace (>1600 d egreesC). The electrical conductivity was 15 S cm(-1) at 1000 degreesC in a ir, which is comparable to previously reported values for well-sintered cer amics. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651 (00)03-002-0. All r ights reserved.