Evaluation of press-and-sinter parameters for tantalum pentoxide by the diametral compression test

Submicron Ta2O5 powder was consolidated by cold pressing using pressures between 24 MPa and 240 MPa followed by sintering at temperatures in the range 1300 degrees C to 1500 degrees C. The resulting disks were fractured in diametral compression tests (DCT) to determine the tensile strength. The strength, mode of fracture, and fracture surface were subsequently used to identify potential processing routes for high density, fine grained Ta2O5 for the use as sputtering targets. Besides the conventional single or triple cleft fracture, two other modes of failure were observed in the diametrical compression test: delamination due to stratification flaws introduced by high pressure pre-pressing before sintering, and fragmentation caused by slow microcrack growth in the presence of phase transformation stresses arising in samples sintered above the transformation temperature of 1360 degrees C