Sialon ceramic compositions and methods of fabrication

摘要

A method of fabricating a SiAlON ceramic body includes: a) combining quantities of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2 to produce a mixture; b) forming the mixture into a desired body shape; c) heating the body to a densification temperature of from about 1550° C. to about 1850° C.; c) maintaining the body at the densification temperature for a period of time effective to densify the body; d) cooling the densified body to a devitrification temperature of from about 1200° C. to about 1400° C.; and e) maintaining the densified body at the devitrification temperature for a period of time effective to produce a &bgr;'-SiAlON crystalline phase in the body having elemental or compound form Ce incorporated in the &bgr;'-SiAlON crystalline phase. Further, a SiAlON ceramic body comprises: a) an amorphous phase; and b) a crystalline phase, the crystalline phase comprising &bgr;'-SiAlON having lattice substituted elemental or compound form Ce.