Effects of Particle Size on Densification Behavior of Si₃N₄ Ceramics

Abstract:

Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) ceramics with Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ as sintering additives were prepared by pressureless sintering technology using two kinds of Si₃N₄ powders as raw materials. The particle size of Si₃N₄ powders ball-milled with various times were characterized and the effects of particle size on the densification behavior of Si₃N₄ ceramics were investigated. The relative density and microstructure of the sintered bodies at different sintering temperatures were determined. The experimental results show that the powders with longer milling time have finer particle size and the samples with fine particle display higher shrinkage-rate at lower sintering temperature than the one with coarse particle. By extending milling time, the density gap between the sintered ceramics using different Si₃N₄ powder become narrower. The main factor resulting in the difference of sintering densification behavior is the particle size of Si₃N₄ powders rather than metallic oxide impurity of raw powders.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 697)
• Pages: 182-187
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.697.182
• Online since: July 2016
• Authors: Lu Jie Wang, Xiao Yang, Xue Jian Liu*, Zheng Jiao, Zheng Ren Huang
• Keywords: Ceramic, Particle Size, Silicon Nitride, Sintering Densification

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