In summary, we investigated the fab

In summary, we investigated the fabrication of the first ceramic-thermosetting polymer composites by the cold sintering process, for high ceramic volume fractions (v/v > 95 %). All tested compositions of ZnO (1 ― ) - xPDMS materials tested are densified as they have relative densities higher than 90 % and surface areas smaller than 2 m2.g-1. Ceramics matrix were densified following a pressure solution creep mechanism. The presence of thermosetting polymers at the interface between two ZnO grains is limiting their grain growth and influencing grain anisotropy as ceramic-ceramic contacts are mainly favored in the direction of pressure. The addition of PDMS appears to replace ZnO-ZnO grain boundaries with ZnO/PDMS interfaces as evidenced by HR TEM and impedance spectroscopy. The bulk impedance response of the ZnO (1 ―x) - PDMS composites are up to three orders of magnitude larger than pure ZnO but are only one order of magnitude larger for x= 0.03 and x= 0.05. Two distinct interfacial relaxations can be identified but their physical attributions remain tenuous.