Cold Sintering Process characterization by in operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Abstract
The development of in situ characterization techniques is mandatory for the development of the Cold Sintering
Process (CSP). Here we show the first development of in situ impedance analyzes to follow materials evolution
during sintering. This characterization brings key information about grain boundary formation at the solid/liquid
interface, both in terms of thermodynamic and kinetics. Through the example of ZnO sintering in the presence of
acetic acid aqueous solution, known for being easily Cold Sintered, we demonstrate the role of the liquid phase,
notably the acetic acid role, regarding chemical composition, structure and microstructure of the obtained
densified ceramics. It turns out this is a promising in-situ characterization technique that should be applied to a
wide range of materials.