• Ohji, Tatsuki
• Suzuki, Yoshikazu

Abstract

<jats:p>Silicon nitride–silicon carbide (Si<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>–SiC) nanocomposites were fabricated by a process involving reaction bonding followed by superplastic sinter‐forging. The nanocomposites exhibited an anisotropic microstructure, in which rod‐shaped, micrometer‐sized Si<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> grains tended to align with their long axes along the material‐flow direction. SiC particles, typically measuring several hundred nanometers, were located at the Si<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> grain boundaries, and nanosized particles were dispersed inside the Si<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> grains. A high bending strength of 1246 ± 119 MPa, as well as a high fracture toughness of 8.2 ± 0.9 MPa·m<jats:sup>1/2</jats:sup>, was achieved when a stress was applied along the grain‐alignment direction.</jats:p>

Topics

• nanocomposite
• grain
• nitride
• strength
• carbide
• anisotropic
• Silicon
• fracture toughness
• forging