Field-assisted sintering technology has revolutionized material processing by integrating temperature, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic fields to achieve unprecedented densification efficiency and microstructural control. Recent advances in techniques such as hot oscillatory pressing, cold sintering, high/ultra-high pressure sintering, spark plasma sintering, ultrafast high-temperature sintering, and flash sintering have enabled the fabrication of previously unattainable materials, including ultrafine-grained ceramics, nanostructured composites, and functionally graded materials. These materials possess exceptional performances under extreme conditions, expanding applications in aerospace, electronics, energy, and biomedicine. However, the rapid development of these methods has exposed limitations in conventional sintering theory, particularly in describing mass transport and interface evolution under multi-physics coupling. This review systematically examines representative field-assisted sintering technologies and discusses their principles, equipment configurations, and application cases. By analyzing current challenges and opportunities, we aim to bridge fundamental understanding with industrial implementation, providing insights for the design and fabrication of next-generation high-performance materials.

Al₂O₃-AlN composite ceramics have a wide range of applications in the field of electronic information. In order to ensure their service safety and reliability, the post-treatment reinforcement technique under the thermochemical deformation control was used to enhance mechanical properties of the composite ceramics. Non-contact in-situ deformation measurements, SEM-EDS, XRD and indentation tests were used to study thermochemical deformation behavior, phase-microstructure evolution and the prestress reinforcement mechanisms of the Al₂O₃-AlN composite ceramics. It is indicated that flexural strength of the Al₂O₃-AlN composite ceramics first increased and then decreased with increasing post-treatment temperature. Specifically, flexural strength of the sample post-treated at 1100 ℃ reached a maximum value of (519.23±23.87) MPa, which is 15% higher than that of the untreated sample. Meanwhile, thermal conductivity of the composite ceramics was not reduced by the post-treatment. The post-treatment process caused localized surface oxidation of AlN in the composite ceramics, accompanied by the volume expansion. Subsequently, residual compressive stress was produced on surface of the composite ceramics through the external and internal thermochemical deformation mismatch, which is favorite to the increasement of crack propagation resistance and the effective enhancement of mechanical strength of the composite ceramics. However, when the post-treatment temperature exceeds 1200 ℃, pores and microcracks were formed on the surface oxide layer, leading to a decrease in the mechanical strength of the composite ceramics.