What are green compacts in niobium powder processing?

In the context of niobium powder processing, "green" compacts refer to the initial, unfired shapes created by compressing niobium powder using a mechanical or isostatic press.1

These compacts typically reach a density of 60 to 65 percent of the theoretical maximum. Once formed, these green compacts undergo sintering, a process conducted in a vacuum at high temperatures (2,100–2,300 °C or 3,800–4,150 °F) to consolidate the material and improve its mechanical properties through the removal of impurities.1