Processing and Properties of Highly Textured Si_3N_4 Materials

摘要

Textured Si_3N_4 materials have been fabricated by extruding ceramic pastes, containing β-Si_3N_4 seeds, and later densification by hot-pressing. A strong anisotropy in the microstructure of the specimens was observed, which drastically influenced their properties. The thermomechanical and tribological behavior of the textured materials were investigated. The surface perpendicular to the Si_3N_4 grain alignment presented higher wear resistance than the parallel one. The thermal conductivity of the material increased when the heat flux ran along the elongated Si_3N_4 grains.