Grain growth model for electric field-assisted processing and flash sintering of materials

This paper proposes a model to explain interesting features of grain growth retardation and saturation during electric field-assisted processing and flash sintering of materials. It is argued that electric field-induced defect generation and segregation of these defects at dislocations and grain boundaries can retard the grain growth rate and reduce it to zero as a result of grain boundary melting under flash sintering. Grain growth rates are derived taking into account kinetic and various thermodynamic factors under an applied field and compared with other models.