Mikinori Hotta

Spark Plasma Sintering of βSiAlON-cBN Composite

βSiAlON-cubic boron nitride (cBN) composites were prepared from β-SiAlON and cBN powders using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at firing temperature of 1600-1900oC under pressure of 100MPa, and densification, phase transformation and hardness of the composites were investigated. The phase transformation of cBN to hexagonal BN (hBN) was inhibited in βSiAlON-cBN composite. βSiAlON-cBN composites containing 10-30 vol% cBN fired at 1650oC were densified to 95-98% of theoretical density with no transformation of cBN to hBN. Vickers hardness of the βSiAlON-cBN composite containing 20 vol% cBN fired at 1650oC was 17.5 GPa in maximum value, and the hardness significantly decreased as cBN phase was transformed to hBN in the composites.

Fabrication and Electrical Property of SiC-AlN Composites

SiC and AlN form a solid solution in the wide compositional range, expectantly leading to control of the semiconductive property. In the present work, the SiC-AlN composites were fabricated by sintering process, and evaluated with emphasis on the distribution of SiC and AlN and electrical property. SiC and AlN powders were mixed at a molar ratio between 90:10 and 10:90, and sintered at 1900-2100 °C for 30 min under 50 MPa in Ar atmosphere by spark plasma sintering technique. The sintered bodies reached high densities over 95 % of theoretical, and the grain size increased with an increase in the sintering temperature and the AlN content. The SiC-AlN composites had 3C and 2H phases in SiC-rich composition, while 2H phase only in AlN-rich composition, and the mutual dissolution between SiC and AlN was enhanced at high temperatures. The electrical conductivity decreased with dissolution of AlN into SiC because of the increase in band gap.

Nano-Grained Microstructure Design of Silicon Carbide Ceramics by SPS Process

SiC ceramics were fabricated from submicron- and nano-sized starting powders with Y2O3 and AlN additives by SPS process. The SPS process and the use of AlN additive were found to be effective for achieving the nano-grained microstructure with retarded grain growth. The nanoporous SiC ceramics were also obtained under the similar conditions. The optimum heating schedule and additive composition were proposed.

Synthesis and Microstructural Evaluation of SiC-AlN Composites

High-density SiC-AlN composites were fabricated from powder mixtures (50:50 in mol) in 1900oC-2100oC temperature range by SPS process. SiC(0.3μm or 0.03μm) and AlN(1.1μm) were used as starting materials. The density of composite increased with increasing firing temperature. From the identification of crystal phase and the change of lattice constant, mixed phases of 3C(β-SiC)ss and 2H(α-SiC/AlN)ss were found at 1900oC and 2000oC, and only 2Hss was found at 2100oC. The OM and EPMA observation indicated that SiC-rich regions (size:10-50μm) existed throughout SiC(0.3μm)-AlN composite because of aggregation of SiC powder. In SiC(0.03μm)-AlN composite, on the other hand, SiC-rich regions (size:submicron) and AlN-rich regions (size: approximately 1μm) existed on a microscopic level at 1900oC, whereras, it was confirmed from EPMA and SEM observation that homogeneous 2H(ss) formed with large grain-growth at 2100oC. The microstructure of SiC(0.03μm)-AlN composite at 2000oC was analyzed to investigate more detailed compositional variation of solid solution. SEM-EDS observation indicated that 3C(ss), SiC-rich 2H(ss) and AlN-rich 2H(ss) existed in SiC(0.03μm)-AlN composite at 2000oC.

Preparation of β SiAlON-cBN Composites by Spark Plasma Sintering

uf062SiAlON-cubic boron nitride (cBN) composite was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) using uf062-SiAlON and cBN powders as starting materials, and the effect of holding time on densification, phase transformation and hardness of the composite was investigated. The uf062SiAlON-cBN composite containing 20 vol% cBN sintered at 1650oC for 60s was densified to >97% of theoretical density. cBN phase transformed to hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) in the uf062SiAlON-cBN composite with increasing holding time at 1650oC. Vickers hardness of the uf062SiAlON-20vol%cBN composite sintered at 1650oC for 60-300s was 17.7GPa, and the hardness decreased with increasing holding time.