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Title: Tailoring the intergranular phases in silicon nitride for improved toughness

Conference ·
OSTI ID:434408
; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
  2. Government Industrial Research Inst., Nagoya (Japan)

Intergranular glass phases can have a significant influence on fracture resistance (R-curve behavior) of Si nitride ceramics and appears to be related to debonding of the {beta}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/oxynitride-glass interfaces. Applying the results from {beta}- Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}-whisker/oxynitride-glass model systems, self- reinforced Si nitrides with different sintering additive ratios were investigated. Si nitrides sintered with a lower Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} additive ratio exhibited higher stead-state fracture toughness together with a steeply rising R-curve. Analytical electron microscopy suggested that the different fracture behavior is related to the Al content in the SiAlON growth band on the elongated grains, which could result in differences in interfacial bonding structures between the grains and the intergranular glass.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States); Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464
OSTI ID:
434408
Report Number(s):
CONF-961202-17; ON: DE97001300
Resource Relation:
Conference: 1996 Fall meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS), Boston, MA (United States), 2-6 Dec 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English