Effects of the characteristics of silicon nitride powders on the preparation of α′-sialon ceramics

The effect of characteristics of Si3N4 powders, including oxygen impurities 1.57, 1.10, and 0.34 wt.% and a-phase content a/(a + b) of 95, 71, and 73, resp., on the prepn. of a'-Sialon ceramics was investigated. Mixts. based on Si3N4 powders with a small amt. of O impurity and low a-phase content exhibited very poor sinterability. A certain amt. of O impurity and high a-phase content are considered necessary to obtain fully dense a'-Sialon ceramics. [on SciFinder (R)]