SiAlON fibers

Practical interest in nitrides is mainly focussed in their use as tough ceramics such as sialons and interstitial nitride coatings on metals [368,369]. Silicon oxynitride glasses are of importance in fiber optics as their refractive indices depend on the nitrogen content. There are surely other interesting properties awaiting exploration. 

Figure 6. Modulus and microhardness of Sialon or oxynitride fibers versus nitrogen content. Redrawn from J. Kobayashi, M. Oota, K. Kada and H. Minakuchi, Oxynitride Glass and the Fiber Thereof, US Patent 4,957,883, September 18,1990.

Rare-earth sialon glasses may also have practical applications, for example as fibers for reinforcement, joining agent for ceramics, protective coatings, nuclear waste materials or as seen before, as neutron-absorbent glasses. 

---