Experimental and Numerical Studies of Densification, Deformation and Delamination of Co-Sintered Multi-Material Composites

Nowadays, the fabrication of multi-material components with desired geometries and tailored microstructural properties is drawing continuous attention. By laminating or additive manufacturing and subsequent co-sintering, multi-material composites that combine a wide range of favorable properties can be produced. Examples are metal-ceramic laminates and multi-ceramic composites, which not only open the spectrum of material applications but also provide a higher degree of flexibility than single materials. However, undesired deformation that triggers delamination, curvature, cracks or even catastrophic failure frequently occurs during the co-sintering process. To solve these issues, a thermo-mechanical model that predicts densification, deformation, and delamination of multi-material components along the entire co-sintering process was developed. A multi-ceramic composite and a metal-ceramic laminate were selected to test and validate the developed model by experimental investigations. The developed model is proven to effectively describe the deformation, curvature, and stress distribution in the studied material combinations.