Papers by Author: Dong Soo Park

Abstract: Lead zinc niobate (PZN) added lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thick films with thickness of 5~10 μm were fabricated on silicon and sapphire substrates using aerosol deposition method. The contents of PZN were varied from 0, 20 and 40 %. The as deposited film had fairly dense microstructure without any crack, and showed only a perovskite single phase formed with nano-sized grains. The as-deposited films on silicon were annealed at temperatures of 700oC, and the films deposited on sapphire were annealed at 900oC in the electrical furnace. The effects of PZN addition on the microstructural evolution were observed using FE-SEM and HR-TEM, and dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the films were characterized using impedance analyzer and Sawyer-Tower circuit, respectively. The PZN added PZT film showed poor electrical properties than pure PZT film when the films were coated on silicon substrate and annealed at 700oC, on the other hand, the PZN added PZT film showed higher remanent polarization and dielectric constant values then pure PZT film when the films were coated on sapphire and annealed at 900oC. The ferroelectric and dielectric characteristics of 20% PZN added PZT films annealed at 900oC were comparable with the values obtained from bulk ceramic specimen with same composition sintered at 1200oC.

Abstract: The interaction between gas atmosphere and silicon during reaction bonded silicon nitride(RBSN)process leads to a non-uniform band formation of alpha silicon nitride. The reaction layer, α -Si3N4, was formed near the surface of the sample in the early stage of RBSN. Reactive nitrogen gas was supplied as static state using computer controlled gas delivery system. The formation of α -Si3N4 band near the surface of the sample can be explained thermodynamically, based on the nitrogen partial pressure in the gas mixtures.

Abstract: Silicon nitride has been considered as candidate tribological material due to their excellent mechanical and thermal properties. This study investigated the effect of graded grain size on the erosion behavior of silicon nitride at room and high temperatures. Erosion tests were carried out with a gas blast-type erosion tester at temperatures up to 800 °C. Weight loss after impact of SiC particles were measured. The erosion rate varied with temperature and microstructure. Different erosion behavior depending on microstructure were discussed based on SEM observation Auger depth profile of worn surfaces.

Abstract: The b–Si3N4 whisker randomly and unidirectionally reinforced Si3N4 composites were fabricated respectively. The high whisker alignment was obtained by extrusion processing. The R-curve behaviors were studied for the Si3N4 ceramics with addition of 3wt%, 5wt% and 10wt% b–Si3N4 whisker seeds respectively, and the effects of whisker orientation and content on the R-curve behaviors were analyzed and discussed. The ceramics with different whisker content and orientation showed well-defined R-curve behaviors. However, for the whisker random distribution, as its whisker content increased from 3wt% to 10wt%, the corresponding fracture toughness changed at an irregular trend; for the whisker unidirectional reinforcement, the fracture toughness in the direction perpendicular to whisker alignment was considerably improved, and most of indentation impressions tend to be very abnormal. The effects of whisker orientation and contents on the R-curve behaviors of the Si3N4 ceramics were further discussed.

Abstract: Porous silicon nitride was prepared by extrusion of silicon followed by nitridation at 1723 K. PMMA spheres with 20 µm in diameter were employed as the pore-forming precursors. b-silicon nitride whiskers were added to the dough for extrusion and their effect on the properties of porous RBSN were examined. The nitridation rate that was obtained from the weight change of the sample due to the nitridation process was between 75% and 80%. However, XRD patterns of the samples after nitridation had no Si peak. That means the actual nitridation rate of the sample was higher than that obtained from the weight change. Porosity of the sample was between 45% and 55%. The XRD patterns from the surfaces of the samples with the silicon nitride whiskers parallel and perpendicular to the extrusion direction showed a slight anisotropy. The pore size distributions of the samples showed a highly populated pores smaller than 3 micrometer, especially for the samples with the whiskers. The room temperature flexural strengths of the samples were between 25 MPa and 35 MPa, the sample with 5 wt% whiskers showing the highest value. The microstructures of the samples contained pores with about 100 micrometer in diameter as well as fine pores with a few micrometer in diameter. Closer observation of the fracture surface of the samples revealed that fine whiskers were inside the pores. A small honeycomb was fabricated by reaction bonding of silicon.

Abstract: Sintered reaction bonded silicon nitride with aligned whisker seeds was prepared by tape casting silicon slurry with 5 wt% b-Si3N4 whisker seeds followed by nitridation and sintering. Three different sintering additives were used for the samples; 7 wt% Y2O3, 6 wt% Y2O3 + 1 wt% Al2O3 and 5 wt% Y2O3 + 2 wt% Al2O3. The sample with 5 wt% Y2O3 + 2 wt% Al2O3 showed the fastest a to b phase transformation after nitridation and the highest fracture toughness and flexural strength after gas pressure sintering among the samples. It also had finer microstructure than the other samples after sintering at 2248 K and at 2273 K. The finer microstructure was related to the faster phase transformation after nitridation, which resulted in the higher flexural strength.

Abstract: Silicon nitride samples without and with 3 wt% of the aligned b-silicon nitride whisker seeds were prepared with 8.2 wt% Er2O3 and 1.9 wt% AlN. After sintering at 2148 K for 4h, the samples exhibited densities higher than 99.5% TD. The microstructures and properties of the samples were compared with those of the samples sintered with 4.8 wt% Y2O3 and 2.2 wt% Al2O3 at 2273 K for 4h. For samples without the whiskers, the sample with 4.8 wt% Y2O3 + 2.2 wt% Al2O3 had coarser microstructures than those with with 8.2 wt% Er2O3 + 1.9 wt% AlN. However, the samples with the whisker seeds, the former sample appeared to have only slightly larger grains than the latter sample in spite of the significant difference in the sintering temperatures. For the samples without the whisker seeds, the room temperature flexural strength was higher for the sample with Er2O3 + AlN. However, for the samples with the aligned whisker seeds, the sample with Y2O3 + Al2O3 exhibited higher room temperature flexural strength than that with Er2O3 + AlN although the average grain width of the former sample was larger than that of the latter sample. In case of the high temperature flexural strength at 1673 K, the flexural strengths of the samples with the whisker seeds were higher than double the strengths of the samples without the whisker seeds. For samples without the whisker seeds, the sample with Er2O3 + AlN exhibited better mechanical properties than that with Y2O3 + Al2O3. However, for the samples with the aligned whisker seeds, the sample with Y2O3 + Al2O3 exhibited better mechanical properties than those with Er2O3 + AlN. The results were explained in terms of the microstructures of the samples.