Effect of hot isostatically pressed sintering on microstructure of translucent alumina compact

The effect of hot isostatically pressed (HIP) sintering on the microstructural property of alumina compacts fabricated by slip casting of a commercial alumina powder was experimentally investigated. The fully dense translucent alumina compacts consisting of micron-sized grain could be fabricated by atmospheric sintering at 1350 °C with soaking time of 2 h and further HIP-sintering at 1300 °C for 2 h in argon atmosphere. It was found that the increase in the relative density of the sintered alumina compacts was reasonably consistent with the Mackenzie–Shuttleworth model. Linear shrinkage of sintered compact was suppressed due to the controlled grain growth, resulting in a good translucency of the fabricated compacts.