The sintering of SnO2:0.6 mol% ZnO obtained by powder mixtures was investigated by dilatometry at constant heating rates 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 ºC.min-1. Using classical sintering models of Woolfrey-Bannister and Johnson to analyze the initial stage sintering, the calculated activation energy was 547 kJ.mol-1 and 511 kJ.mol-1, respectively. The coexistence of the two sintering mechanisms, volume diffusion and grain boundary diffusion, was found to control the initial stage sintering of the SnO2:0.6 mol % ZnO system.
sintering; SnO2; kinetics; mechanisms; activation energy