Stage II takes place in both ICC and UCS and starts when the solid particles make contact forming a rigid skeleton. Generally, the external pressure is maintained during Stage II; however, processes where the pressureis removed also exist (e.g. ICC). Depending on whether or not the pressure is maintained, different microstructures are obtained. During CSP Stage II, three main phenomena are of interest: (i) particle rearrangement due to the presence of a liquid (analogous to all liquid phase sintering processes), (ii) solvent evaporation and (iii) solid precipitation from a super-saturated solution (supersaturation being achieved because of the pressure removal, ICC, or by solvent evaporation,both ICC and UCS). If the pressure is maintained during Stage II (i.e. UCS), a fourth phenomenon also takes place: (iv) sintering, associated with mass transport and particle shape modification.