[Thermal behavior of gypsum bonded investments. (Part 3) Sintering kinetics of insoluble anhydrite (author's transl)].

The sintering kinetics of insoluble anhydrite were studied by measuring the isothermal shrinkage of compacts of insoluble anhydrite powders in air. The sintering process of insoluble anhydrite powders consisted of two stages for the temperature range from 630 degrees C to 720 degrees C. The first shrinkage could be described as a bulk diffusion model and followed the equation delta L/Lo infinity t 0.5l +/- 0.08, where delta L/Lo is fractional shrinkage and t is the sintering time. The apparent activation energy of the shringage was 130 kcal/mole. The second shrinkage followed the equation delta L/Lo infinity t 1.83 +/- 0.30, but could not be explained with reasonable model. However, the SEM observations of the fractured surface of compacts suggested that the second shrinkage corresponded to the grain growth of insoluble anhydrite.