Microstructures silicon nitrides

Figure 14.26 Cross-sectional images of Hertzian contact zone in fine microstructured silicon nitride which does not exhibit a pronounced R-curve, and a coarse...

Keywords Silicon nitride ceramics, Phase relations, Processing, Microstructure, Properties... 

Silicon nitride ceramics are not merely only one material but several classes of materials. All of them are multiphased, i.e., they exhibit a heterogeneous microstructure which has formed during sintering (Sect. 6). Therefore in all classes a large variety of properties is predominant and as a consequence also a large variety of potential applications (Sect. 10). Often little variations in the powders and the processing parameters cause remarkable changes in the microstructure which have a pronounced effect on properties (Sects. 6 and 7). 

Parr NL, Martin GF, May ERW (1960) Preparation, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Silicon Nitride. In Popper P (ed) Special Ceramics. Heywood, London, p 102... 

Woetting G, Feuer H, Gugel E (1993) The Influence of Powders and Processing Methods on Microstructure and Properties of Dense Silicon Nitride. In Chen IW, Becher PF, Mitomo M, Petzow G, Yen TS (eds) Silicon Nitride Ceramics, Mat Res Soc Symp Proc 287. Mat Res Soc, Pittsburgh, p 133... 

Kim HD, Han BD, Park DS (2001) Process to obtain Bimodal Microstructure in Silicon Nitride. Paper presented at 25th Annual Conference on Composites, Advanced Ceramics, Materials, and Structures. Am Ceram Soc, Cocoa Beach, Fl... 

Becher PF, Hwang SL, Lin HT, Ticgs TN (1994) Microstructural contributions to the fracture resistance of silicon nitride ceramics. In Hoffmann MJ, Petzow G (eds) Tailoring of Mechanical Properties of Si3N4 Ceramics, NATO ASI Ser E Vol. 276, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, p 87... 

Hirao K, Imamura H, Watari K, Brito ME, Toriyama M, Kanzaki S (1999) Seeded Silicon Nitride Microstructure and Performance. In Niihara K, Sekino T, Yasuda E,... 

Nishimura N, Masuo E, Takita K (1991) Effect of Microstructural Oxidation on the Strength of Silicon Nitride after High Temperature Exposure. In Carlsson T, Johansson T, Kahlman T (eds) Proc 4th Int Symp Ceram Mater Components for Engines. Elsevier, London, p 1139... 

Wayne, S.F. and Buljan, S.T. Microstructure and wear resistance of silicon nitride composites , in Friction and Wear of Ceramics, ed. S. Jahanmir, pp. 261-285, Marcel Dekker, New York (1994). 

Shen, Z J., Zhan, Z., Peng, 11, el a ., Formation of tough interlocking microstructures in silicon nitride ceramics by dynamic ripening, Nature, 2002, 417 266. 

Kondo, N., Suzuki, Y., and Ohji, T., Superplastic sinter-forging of silicon nitride with anisotropic microstructure formation , J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1999, 82, 1067-9. 

Turan, S., (1995), Microstructural characterisation of silicon nitride-silicon carbide particulate composites , Ph.D. thesis, University of Cambridge. 

Wotting, G., Kanka, B. and Ziegler, G., (1986), Microstructural development, microstructural characterization and relations to mechanical properties of dense silicon nitride , in Hampshire S, Non-oxide Technical and Engineering Ceramics, London and New York, Elsevier Science, 83-96. 

Concerning carbon nanotube-reinforced silicon nitride matrices, only a few reports have so far been published [19]. In this case, hot isostatic pressing has been used for composite processing. The carbon nanotubes remained in the microstructure only under low pressures (2 MPa) they connect the silicon nitride grains and produce a 15-37% improvement of the mechanical properties as compared with other carbon-filled samples (Fig. 19.11). Increase of pressure... 

Microstructures of the two GPS-ed silicon nitride materials (a) SN-F (not seeded, cold pressed), (b) SN-C (seeded, tape cast). Plasma etching highlights the epitaxial growth of P-sialon on P-Si3N4 cores (indicated by the arrows). 

---