Manufacture of dense sintered bodies containing silicon nitride

Abstract

Sintered bodies containing 1-32.5 Si oxide and 1.5 wt.% SiC (Si oxide/SiC wt. ratio 3/2) are prepared and kept in a 10-3000 kg/2 sq. cm. N (g) atmosphere at 1500-2300 degrees, while simultaneously maintaining the CO (g) partial pressure around the body lower than the nitrogenation equil. pressure to give a dense sintered body. The prepared dense sintered body has high strength at high temperatures. Thus, SiC 40, oxide 30 and Si3N4 30 wt% were fired to a body which was kept in 1500 kg/sq. cm. N (g) for 20 h at 2000 degrees to give a dense sintered body having high bending strength at high temperatures