| Three inter-related aspects in the fabrication of silicon nitride ceramics were performed for the thesis work. The topics included: (1) an analysis of the composition and physical gradients in bulk silicon nitride, (2) the effect of sintering parameters on microstructure development and the resulting mechanical properties, and (3) an investigation of ss-;The composition and physical gradients in bulk silicon nitride are due to the furnace conditions and the environment adjacent to the samples. Loss of SiO from the exposed surfaces results in the formation of nitrogen-rich phases, such as melilite on the as-sintered surfaces. The high nitrogen concentration in the near-surface region promotes ss-;Gas-pressure sintering (GPS) was used to densify silicon nitride two types of sintering additives: ;The kinetics of the... |
