Improvement of elongated ?-SiAlON ceramics by variation of the processing conditions and amounts of additives

Abstract

Two types of Y-?-SiAlON composition, with different amounts of additional liquid phase were densified in a gas pressure sintering furnace using three different sintering cycles. One series of samples was heated up to 1825°C for 3 hrs, another group of samples was held at a lower temperature (1500°C or 1600°C) for 1 hr and then heated up to 1825°C for 3 hrs. The effect of the amounts of sintering additive and processing conditions on density and microstructure were evaluated.