Promoting microstructural homogeneity during flash sintering of ceramics through thermal management

Abstract Flash sintering (FS) is a novel field-assisted technology, where the ceramic heated internally by Joule effect. While FS promises tremendous reduction of firing time and furnace temperature, it has been applied only at laboratory scale to date. The key limitation scaling up technique industrial manufacturing level intrinsic difficulty managing heat generation obtaining homogenous microstructures in components interest. Heterogeneous regions primarily originate from different types thermal gradients that develop during FS; therefore, management crucial achieve uniformity. In this article, we discuss advantages controlling microstructural homogeneity ceramics FS, technical routes this. origin formation mechanisms upon flash are outlined. Possible approaches reduce identified. opportunities challenges scale-up discussed both scientific perspectives.