Nanopowders and Dense Nanostructural Ceramics Composed of α-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>
Three different α-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanopowder species were characterized; their behaviour under dry uniaxial compacting and agglomeration without applying external pressure was investigated. Ceramics dense at a level of 99 % was obtained at agglomeration temperature 1300 <sup>о</sup>C; hte grain size was about 200 nm. It was established that for low-temperature agglomeration it is reasonable to use the powder containing aggregates that are conserved during filling the press mold at the initial stage of pressure rise but get destroyed at subsequent stages of compacting. It was demonstrated that with the optimal molding method is becomes possible to obtain dense ceramic material even at 1150 <sup>o</sup>C, with the conservation of grain size at a level of 100 nm and less.