Molybdenum disilicide composites

Abstract

Molybdenum disilicide/β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z, wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, composites are made by use of in situ reactions among α-silicon nitride, molybdenum disilicide, and aluminum. Molybdenum disilicide within a molybdenum disilicide/β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z eutectoid matrix is the resulting microstructure when the invention method is employed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to structural suicides and more particularly to molybdenum-based suicides and eutectoid composites thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Structural silicides have important high temperature applications in oxidizing and aggressive environments. There is a continuing and growing need for these materials for applications such as furnace heating elements, molten metal lances, industrial gas burners, aerospace turbine engine components, diesel engine glow plugs and materials for glass processing.

Some of the materials which would theoretically meet some of these needs are difficult to make and/or have deficiencies in engineering properties. For example, conventional β′-SiAlON is produced using silicon, aluminum nitride, and alumina in a nitrogen atmosphere. Due to impurities, β′-SiAlON is normally difficult to produce in a useful structural form according to such sources as the Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide structural suicides with advantageous engineering properties.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of making structural suicides with advantageous engineering properties.

It is a further object of this invention to provide molybdenum-based silicides.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method of making molybdenum-based silicides having improved purity.

It is an object of this invention to provide eutectoid composites of structural silicides having improved purity.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of making eutectoid composites of structural silicides having improved purity.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. The claims appended hereto are intended to cover all changes and modifications within the spirit and scope thereof.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there has been invented a composition comprising β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater man 0 to about 5, within a molybdenum disilicide matrix.

There has been invented a novel method for making structural disilicides comprising:

(a) combining a major portion of molybdenum disilicide with a minor portion of silicon nitride and a minor portion of aluminum in an inert atmosphere to form a mixture;

(b) forming the mixture into desired shape;

(c) sintering the shape to form a composite of β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, in a molybdenum disilicide matrix.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a graph of an example of a typical firing and sintering schedule used in the practice of the invention method.

FIG. 2 is an X-ray diffraction pattern of a composite made in accordance with the invention method.

FIG. 3 is a scanning electron image of the microstructure of an eutectoid matrix region of a composite made in accordance with the invention method.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are elemental mappings of the same area of the microstructure of the composite shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 a is an elemental mapping of Mo K α and FIG. 4 b is an elemental mapping of Al K α .

FIG. 5 is scanning electron micrograph image of a eutectoid matrix region of a composite made in accordance with the invention method.

FIG. 6 is a Si K α mapping of the same area of the eutectoid matrix region of the composite shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a lower magnification scanning electron micrograph image of a eutectoid matrix region made in accordance with the invention method.

FIG. 8 is a Si K α mapping of the same area of the eutectoid matrix region of the composite shown in FIG. 7 .

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

It has been discovered that molybdenum disilicide/β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, eutectoid composites can be made by use of in situ reactions among a-silicon nitride, molybdenum disilicide, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and aluminum. β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, within a molybdenum disilicide/β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , eutectoid matrix is the resulting microstructure when the invention method is employed.

The invention method comprises combining a major portion of molybdenum disilicide powder with a minor portion of silicon nitride powder to form a mixture which is then combined with a minor portion of aluminum powder with alumina coating on the aluminum particles. Alternatively, all three components can be combined simultaneously rather than sequentially. The resulting tripartite mixture is dried and de-agglomerated as needed, cold pressed or slip cast, then fired and sintered to form the eutectoid composite of this invention.

In the invention method, both alumina and aluminum nitride are produced in situ in the molybdenum disilicide matrix material followed by an in situ production of β-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, at a temperature above 1400° C. These in situ reactions result in a pure β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z within a eutectoid microstructure.

Molybdenum disilicides which are useful in the practice of the invention are those with a high degree of purity, with only very minor amounts of silicon dioxide or having only impurities which would not affect the properties of the sintered product. Generally molybdenum disilicides without any Mo 5 Si 3 are preferred.

An amount of molybdenum disilicide sufficient to impart thermal conductivity and other desired physical properties is needed; thus an amount of molybdenum disilicide sufficient to form the continuous phase is necessary. An amount in the range from about 55 weight percent to about 95 weight percent, based upon total weight of the matrix and reinforcing material, is generally useful in the invention. More preferable is an amount of molybdenum disilicide in the range from about 65 to about 90 weight percent, based upon total weight of the matrix and reinforcing material. Generally presently most preferred is an amount of molybdenum disilicide in the range from about 75 to about 85 weight percent.

Use of too little molybdenum disilicide will result in failure to form a eutectoid structure and unsintered Si 3 N 4 in the end product and dissociation of the final product. Use of too much molybdenum disilicide will cause inferior properties in the resulting product.

An amount of silicon nitride sufficient to provide structural integrity to the end product is needed. An amount in the range from about 10 weight percent to about 25 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition, is generally useful in the invention. More preferable is an amount of silicon nitride in the range from about 15 to about 20 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition. Generally presently preferred is an amount of silicon nitride in the range from about 16 weight percent to about 18 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition.

β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z will not form if too little silicon nitride is used. Use of too much silicon nitride will cause an insufficiently reinforced eutectoid matrix.

Aluminum which is useful in the practice of the invention is that which is in powder form and which can easily be coated with the alumina. An amount of aluminum sufficient to cause an ion displacement on the Si 3 N4 structure is needed An amount of aluminum in the range from about greater than 0 to about 15 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition, is generally useful in the invention. More preferable is an amount of aluminum in the range from about 1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition. Generally presently preferred is an amount of aluminum in the range from about 3 weight percent to about 5 weight percent, based upon total weight of the composition

Use of too little aluminum would result in less than the desired amount of alumina Use of too much aluminum would likely cause distortion in the product.

Minor amounts of additives can be used as desired for various reasons. Additives can be used for improving the sinterability of the silicon nitride. For example, an additive such as yittrium aluminum garnet will cause a liquid phase to exist when the silicon nitride is just beginning to density, with the liquid phase increasing the speed of the densification so that the silicon nitride densifies at a lower temperature. Use of too much yittrium aluminum garnet as an additive can cause decreases in fracture toughness and strength of the eutectoid composite. If sufficient amounts of the eutectoid are formed, the adverse effects of such additives would be negligible.

The silicon nitride can be combined with the molybdenum disilicide and ball milled prior to addition of the aluminum, or the silicon nitride can be combined with the aluminum and ball milled prior to combining the silicon nitride/aluminum mixture with the molybdenum disilicide, or the three components can be simultaneously combined and ball milled. It is generally presently preferred to mix the three components simultaneously to reduce risk of contamination.

The combining and subsequent mixing of the components is carried out in an inert atmosphere. Nitrogen gas is the presently preferred atmosphere.

Wet or dry ball milling or mixing by any other convenient means can be used. The mixture of components is ball milled, or otherwise mixed for a time sufficient to produce a uniform mixture of uniformly sized particles. Generally, ball milling the mixture for approximately 6 to 12 hours will accomplish a uniform distribution of particles sizes.

After complete mixing and milling of the three components, the ball-milled mixture can then be dried if needed. The dried cake can be crushed with a mortar and pestle or broken up by any other suitable means as needed to obtain a fine powder for subsequent ball milling with the third component, if the components are added sequentially or for subsequent ball milling with any additives used.

The mixture of ball milled, dried and powdered components can be processed in accordance with green body forming techniques such as slip casting, complex shape forming techniques, or, usually, it is then cold pressed or otherwise processed into pellets or whatever shapes are desired. Slip or compacted molds can be used.

The cold pressed pellets are first heated in a high vacuum and nitrogen atmosphere to decrease the possibility of unwanted oxidation during processing. It is essential that the pellets are first heated to a temperature above 550° C.; generally the maximum temperature should be from about 700° C. to about 800 ° C. At the maximum temperature the mixed, shaped components are divested of any combustible contamination and any interparticle moisture.

With the nitrogen atmosphere continued at positive pressure, the temperature is then held at a temperature in the range from about 500° C. to about 700° C. for long enough to accomplish burning out of all organic materials which may be in the pellets. Generally this will be about 10 minutes or so.

After burnout of the organic material from the pellets, the temperature is ramped up to a temperature of at least 1400° C. over a period of time, generally about two hours or so. Generally, a temperature increase of no more than 5° C. to 20° C. per minute is required because ramping the temperature up too quickly may cause entrapment of evoled gases and or cracking. More rapid ramping up of the temperature is feasible if the components have been dry milled. Ramping the temperature up too slowly could promote undesirable oxidation and would be economically infeasible.

A peak temperature of at least 1400° C. is needed for about 5 hours. Generally, peak temperatures in the range from about 1500° C. to about 1700° C. are preferred. The pellets should be sintered, still in a nitrogen atmosphere, at the peak temperature long enough for sintering of the molybdenum disilicide so that single phase molybdenum disilicide will be in the MoSi 2 -Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z eutectoid matrix. Generally this will be a period from about ½ hour to about 5 hours, depending upon nitrogen pressure and sample composition. The larger the amount of silicon nitride, the greater the need for sintering. Lower temperatures may be needed if additives are used. Heating at a high peak temperature for too long a period can cause the materials to settle out, forming a graded or layered composite have a mostly eutectoid bottom layer and mostly molybdenum disilicide top layer. Heating at the peak temperature for too short a period will result in incomplete sintering.

After sintering at the peak temperature for the selected period of time, the temperature is decreased at a rate not to exceed about 15° C. per minute until a cooled temperature is reached.

Table 1 shows results of test runs of comparative compositions (Runs 1-21) and of an invention composition (Run 22) using varying temperatures, atmospheres, and components.

Because the compositions of this invention are sintered without hot pressing, the invention method can be used to create materials of unusual or irregular shapes. The invention method also avoids the economic disadvantages of hot pressing processes.

The composites of this invention have desirable physical properties such as: a melting point above 1800° C., high oxidation resistance, high thermal and electrical conductivity, excellent sinterability, relatively low density, high purity, and very high hardness. The composites of this invention have relatively low coefficients of thermal expansion, and thus have increased resistance to thermal shock. The composites of this invention can be easily machined into desired shapes.

The following examples will demonstrate the operability of the invention.

EXAMPLE I

Operability of the invention method was demonstrated by making a molybdenum disilicide/β-SiAlON, wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, eutectoid composite from molybdenum disilicide powder and α-Si 3 N 4 powder. The molybdenum disilicide Grade C powder commercially available from H. C. Starck and α-Si 3 N 4 powder commercially available as UBE SN-E-10 was used in each of the samples.

The molybdenum disilicide and Si 3 N 4 powders were first mixed in volume ratios of 70:30, 80:20, 90:10, and 100:0. Respective weight ratios were 82.2:17.8, 88.8:11.2, 94.7:5.3, and 100:0. To prepare the mixtures, each powder was weighed (±0.01 grams) and then poured into a polyethylene ball mill container.

Two sizes of zirconia ball media were placed about ¼ full. For wet mill mixing efficiency, acetone was added. Each mixture was then ball milled for at least 4 hours.

After ball milling, each mixture was dried at 35° C. for 4 to 6 hours. The dry residue was then scraped and ground in an alumina bowl with an alumina pestle with minimal crushing force. The fine powder was then collected and stored in sealed containers.

To the 80:20 volume mixture of MoSi 2/ Si 3 N 4 , a 3.8 weight percent aluminum additive was added by the same method as the initial mixture preparation. The resulting composition was 85.4 weight % MoSi 2 , 10.8 weight % α-Si 3 N 4 , and 3.8 weight % fine aluminum. The container was then ball milled for 12 hours.

The powders of each mixture were then cold pressed at about 140 MPa in a stainless steel die. Resulting pellet dimensions were: 1.27 cm (±0.005 cm) outside diameter with thicknesses ranging from 0.17 to 0.22 cm (±0.005 cm). The starting masses ranged from 0.6 to 0.8 grams (±0.001 g).

The cold pressed pellets were then placed within a graphite crucible and covered with another crucible, with sufficient ventiliation. The crucibles containing the pellets were then placed in a high temperature Astro vacuum furnace.

Each of the samples was then sintered according to the sintering schedule shown in FIG. 1 . The crucibles were heated slowly at a rate of 5 to 10° C. per minute to about 450° C. in a high vacuum. At this temperature the furnace was filled with nitrogen until a slight positive gas flow was achieved (about 5 to 10 kPa). The temperature was increased and held at approximately 550° C. for 10 minutes for organic matter burn-out. The heating rate was then resumed until the sintering temperature was reached. Various ones of the samples were sintered at 1500° C., 1600° C., 1650° C. and 1700° C. using times of 1, 2 and 3 hours. Cooling was done at the same rate as the heating rate.

The MoSi 2 /β′-SiAlON euctectoid composite sample appeared to sinter in a uniform manner without distortion. Also, there was much less volume shrinkage (68% original volume for this specimen while 53% original volume for a 100% MoSi 2 sample-with similar densification at the same time and temperature). Less volume shrinkage without distortion is an important feature because of the consequential lower density, better dimensional tolerance, and less mold fabrication difficulties. The overall density for an 80-20 MoSi 2 —Si 3 N 4 volume percent composition was 5.68 g/cm 3 compared to an estimated theoretical density of 5.45 g/cm 3 for the invention composition.

After sintering, the samples were weighed to determine any losses. The densities were calculated by water submersion methods as described in Pennings and Greliner, “Precise Nondestructive Determination of the Density of Porous Ceramics,” Journal of the American Ceramics Society, 75[8](1992)2056-2065. X-ray diffraction analysis and elemental mapping by EDS in SEM were done. Hardness and indentation fracture was determined by the Vickers microhardness indentation test, using a 1 kg load for 25 seconds.

Results of tests of physical properties of the invention eutectoid matrix are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1
Properties of the mOsI 2 /β′-sI 6-z Al z O z N 8-z Eutectoid Matrix
Composition by volume %	70 % MoSi 2	30% β′-sI 6-z Al z O z N 8-z
Composition by weight %	82 % MoSi 2	18% β′-sI 6-z Al z O z N 8-z
Theoretical density	5.16 g/cm 3
Sinterability	>99% dense
(at 1700° C. for 3 hours)
Vickers Hardness	12.9 GPa

X-ray diffraction and elemental mapping on polished specimens provided the composition of each sample.

Quantitative microstructural analysis on the phases present was done on a scanning electron micrograph.

The X-ray diffraction pattern of the composite is shown in FIG. 2 . MoSi 2 , β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5, and a small amount of Mo 5 Si 3 was present in each of the samples.

The microstructure of the composite is shown in FIG. 3 , while elemental mappings by energy dispersion analysis of Mo K α and Al K α are shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a scanning electron micrograph image of the eutectoid matrix region and the Si K α mapping of the same area. The presence of silica can be noted throughout the sample.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a lower magnification scanning electron micrograph image and the Al K α mapping. In this image it can be noted that Al is concentrated within a matrix dark phase (indicating β′-Si 6−z Al z O z N 8−z , wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5.

EXAMPLE II

Twenty-two sets of runs were made which show comparison of the inventive composition (Runs 22-1 through 22-5) with other compositions and sintering schedules. These comparison runs and the results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

TABLE 2
Sintering of MoSi 2 —Si 3 N 4
	Compo-
	sition,	Temperature,
	(volume %)	Time,
Run	MoSi 2 /Si 3 N 4	Atmosphere	Sinter bed	Results
1-1	100/0	1 hr, 3 hr at	none	85% dense, grain
1-2	90/10	1700° C.;		size increase with
1-3	80/20	3 hr at 1600° C.		Si 3 N 4 content,
1-4	70/30	Argon		green precipitate.
2-1	70/30	1 hr at 1700° C.	100%	90 ± 2% dense with
2-2	100/0	Argon	MoSi 2	sealed surface
				cracks.
3-1	80/20	1 hr at 1700° C.		75-85% density,
3-2	100/0	Nitrogen	none	dark color,
				distorted,
				ellipsoidal shape,
				SiC precipitates.
4-1	80/20	1 hr at 1600° C.	100%	Non-distorted but
4-2	100/0	Nitrogen	Si 3 N 4	unsintered, crack-
				free surfaces.
5-1	70/30	3 hr at 1700° C.	100%	highly sintered,
5-2	80/20	Argon	Si 3 N 4	dense, greenish
5-3	100/0			SiC precipitate.
6-1	70/30	3 hr at 1700° C.	100% BN	highly sintered,
6-2	80/20	Argon		dense, SiC
6-3	100/0			precipitate.
7-1	80/20	3 hr at 1600° C.	100% BN	sintered, low den-
7-2	100/0	Nitrogen	Al 2 O 3 plate	sity, samples
				appeared darker.
8-1	80/20	3 hr at 1700° C.	50/50%	slightly sintered,
8-2	100/0	Nitrogen	MoSi 2 /	low density, SiC
8-3	70/30		Si 3 N 4	precipitate on sam-
8-4	90/10			ples and crucible.
9-1	80/20	3 hr at 1700° C.	50/50%	sintered, distorted,
9-2	100/0	Nitrogen	MoSi 2 /BN	dark gray color,
				SiC precipitate.
10-1	100/0	1 hr at 1700° C.	67/33	unsintered, dark
10-2	90/10	Nitrogen	BN/Si 3 N 4	gray color, SiC
10-3	80/20			precipitate, 20/80
10-4	70/30			sample triple size,
10-5	50/50			very unsintered.
10-6	20/80
11-1	100/0	3 hr at 1700° C.	3SiO 2 +	70/30 sample
11-2	90/10	Nitrogen	Si 3 N 4	unsintered; 80/20,
11-3	80/20		in BN	90/10, 100/0
11-4	70/30			samples partially
11-5	20/80			sintered.
12-1	100/0	3 hr at 1500° C.	3SiO 2 +	all unsintered, SiC
12-2	80/20	Nitrogen	Si 3 N 4	precipitate, very
12-3	70/30		in BN	light color.
13-1	100/0	3 hr at 1600° C.	SiO 2 +	all samples
13-2	80/20	Nitrogen	Si 3 N 4	unsintered.
			in BN
14-1	100/0	3 hr at 1600° C.	SiO 2 +	all unsintered
14-2	80/20	Nitrogen	Si 3 N 4	and very low
14-3	80/20 +		in BN	density.
	1 wt %
	SiO 2
14-4	80/20 +
	5 wt %
	SiO 2
15-1	80/20	3 hr at 1600° C.	MoSi 2	all sintered,
15-2	80/20 +	Argon		estimated 85%
	5 wt %			theoretical density.
	SiO 2
16-1	80/20	3 hr at 1600° C.	SiO 2 +	well sintered,
16-2	80/20 +	Argon	Si 3 N 4	extensive cracking.
	5 wt %		in BN
	SiO 2
17-1	80/20	3 hr at 1600° C.	none	well sintered.
17-2	80/20 +	Argon
	5 wt %
	SiO 2
18-1	100/0	3 hr at 1700° C.	α-Si 3 N 4	all samples except
18-2	80/20	Nitrogen		100/0 failed to
18-3	80/20 +			sinter; possible error
	4 wt %			in atmosphere
	Al 2 O 3			control.
18-4	80/20 +
	4 wt %
	Al
19-1	100/0	3 hr at 1600° C.	none	all samples well
19-2	80/20	Argon		sintered, 19-3
19-3	80/20 +			sample sintered
	4 wt %			but had cold press
	Al 2 O 3			cracks.
19-4	80/20 +
	2 wt % C
19-5	100/0 +
	2 wt % C
20-1	100/0	3 hr at 1600° C.	70/30	all samples well
20-2	80/20	Argon	Wt %	sintered, 80/20 +
20-3	80/20 +		MoSi 2 /SiC	2C sample sintered
	2 wt % C			but had cold press
20-4	100/0 +			cracks.
	2 wt % C
20-5	80/20 +
	4 wt %
	Al 2 O 3
21-1	100/0	3 hr at 1700° C.	70/30	all sintered well;
21-2	80/20	Nitrogen	wt %	21-4 had many
21-3	80/20 +		MoSi 2 /SiC	crack along grains;
	2 wt % C			21-5 split it in
21-4	80/20 +			two by cracking.
	4 wt %
	Al 2 O 3
21-5	80/20 +
	4 wt %
	Al
22-1	100/0	3 hr at 1700° C.	100%	100/0, 80/20, 80/20
22-2	80/20	Nitrogen	α-Si 3 N 4	+ 4Al all sintered
22-3	80/20 +			well; 80-20 distor-
	2 wt % C			ted; 80/20 + Al
22-4	80/20 +			extremely brittle;
	4 wt %			80/20 + C cracked
	Al 2 O 3			due to distortion.
22-5	80/20 +
	4 wt %
	Al

TABLE 3
Sintering of MoSi 2 —Si 3 N 4
	MoSi 2 /Si 3 N 4 (vol %);	X-ray
	Weight Loss or Gain	Diffraction
Run	(wt %)	Analysis	Comments
1-1	100/10; none	1-2, 1-3, 1-4:	Silicon nitride
1-2	90/10; 2.5-3% loss	no Si 3 N 4 , all	decomposition
1-3	80/20; 10-11% loss	MoSi 2;	occurring, SiO gas
1-4	70/30; 16-18% loss	SiC precipitate	likely to react
			w/graphite crucible
			producing SiC
			precipitate.
2-1	100/0; none	2-1, 2-2:	Silicon nitride
2-2	70/30; 15% loss	no Si 3 N 4 , all	decomposition
		MoSi 2 ;	occurring, SiO gas
		SiC precipitate	likely to react
			w/graphite crucible
			producing SiC
			precipitate;
			embedding
			powder improved
			quality
			of sintered
			product.
3-1	100/0; 7% loss	no X-ray results;	MoSi 2 likely went
3-2	80/20; 16% loss	samples appear	through a structure
		appear same as	change, large
		Runs 2-1, 2-2	amount of SiC
			indicates silicon
			nitride
			decomposition.
4-1	100/0; 8% gain	4-1: Mo 5 Si 3 +	Molydisilicide and
4-2	80/20; 8% gain	β-Si 3 N 4	alpha-silicon
			nitride go
			through structure
			change.
5-1	100/0; none	5-2: 100% MoSi 2 ;	MoSi 2 transfor-
5-2	80/20; 8% loss	SiC precipitate	mation appears
5-3	70/30; 13% loss		affected by argon
			(rather than
			nitrogen)
			atmosphere.
6-1	100/0; none	6-2, 6-3:	Although greater
6-2	80/20; 18% loss	100% MoSi 2	weight losses than
6-3	70/30; 17% loss		in Runs 1-5, essen-
			tially same results.
7-1	80/20; 7% gain	7-1: tetragonal	Both MoSi 2 and
7-2	100/0; 7% gain	Mo 5 Si 3 ; large	α-Si 3 N 4 structure
		amount β-Si 3 N 4	changes:
			MoSi 2 → Mo 5 Si 3 +
			7Si
			7Si + xN 2 → β-
			Si 3 N 4
	80/20; 2% loss	8-1: MoSi 2 and	Thermodynamic
8-2	100/0; less than 5%	hexagonal	coexistance of β-
8-3	70/30; less than 5%	Mo 5 Si 3 coexist	Si 3 N 4 and Mo 5 Si 3 ;
8-4	90/10; less than 5%		minimal weight loss
			for all samples;
			hexagonal Mo 3 Si 3
			appears in
			equilibrium
			w/MoSi 2 .
9-1	80/20; 13% loss	9-1: MoSi 2	All Si 3 N 4 ,
9-2	100/0; 3% loss		some MoSi 2 lost.
10-1	80/20; about 13% loss	10-2: MoSi 2	20-80 composition
10-2	20/80; about 35% gain	10-3: β-Si 3 N 4	transforms to β-
10-3		and Mo 5 Si 3	Si 3 N 4 and Mo 5 Si 3 ;
10-4			weight loss and
10-5			gains appeared to
10-6			vary linearly with
			Si 3 N 4 content.
11-1	100/0; 5% loss	11-3: MoSi 2	Sintered α-Si 3 N 4 is
11-2	90/10; 11% loss	11-4: tetragonal	produced with
11-3	80/20; 18% loss	Mo 5 Si 3 and β-Si 3 N 4 ;	reaction mix.
11-4		rxn: α-Si 3 N 4 ,
11-5
12-1	all gained about .1 g	12-2: tetragonal	Transformation to
12-2		Mo 5 Si 3 ,	β-Si 3 N 4 occurred
12-3		and large amount	at below 1500° C.;
		β-Si 3 N 4
13-1	gains of 0.06 to 0.07%	13-2: tetragonal	MoSi 2 to Mo 5 Si 3
13-2		Mo 5 Si 3 , and large	then back to MoSi 2
		amount β-Si 3 N 4	above 1600° C.
14-1	100/0; 10% gain	14-3 and 14-4:	Inconclusive, since
14-2	80/20; 2% gain	tetragonal Mo 5 Si 3	the 1000 sample
14-3	80/20 + SiO 2 ;	and large	also gained mass,
	7% gain	amount β-Si 3 N 4	need to sinter in
14-4			100% Si 2 N 4 or no
			bed for analysis.
15-1	80/20; 5% loss	15-2: only MoSi 2 ,	Samples picked up
15-2	80/20 + SiO 2 ;	although low	MoSi 2 from
	10% loss	weight losses	embedding powder.
16-1	80/20; 14% loss	16-2: MoSi 2 and SiC	SiO gas caused
16-2	80/20 + SiO 2 ;	precipitate	large weight losses
	19% loss		that included Si 3 N 4
			and MoSi 2.
17-1	80/20; 8.4% loss	17-2: MoSi 2 and SiC	All SiO 2 additive
17-2	80/20 + SiO 2; 13.8% loss	precipitate	dissociated as
			in Run 16.
18-1	See Results in Table 2.
18-2
18-3
18-4
19-1	100/0; <1% loss	19-1, 19-2, 19-3,	Alumina additive
19-2	80/20; 9% loss	19-5: MoSi 2	seemed to have pre-
19-3	80/20 + Al 2 O 3;	19-4: MoSi 2 and SiC	cipitated to the
	8% loss	precipitate	surface as mullite.
19-4	80/20 + C; 10% loss		No clear evidence
19-5	100/0 + C; 2.7% loss		of Si 3 N 4 .
20-1	100/0 + C; <1% loss	20-1, 20-2, 20-3,	Large weight losses
20-2	80/20; >16% loss	20-5: MoSi 2	in 80/20 and 80/20
20-3	80/20 + C; 13% loss	20-4: MoSi 2 and SiC	with Al 2 O 3 may
20-4	80/20 + Al 2 O 3;	precipitate	include MoSi 2 as
	>17% loss		well. MoSi 2 /SiC
20-5	100/0 + C; 3% loss		bed clearly enhances
			sinterability of
			80/20 + additive
			although not enough
			Si 3 N 4 .
21-1	100/0; 10% loss		All samples were
21-2	80/20; 13% loss		extremely brittle.
21-3	80/20 + C; 12% loss		Mo 5 Si 3 coated MoSi 2
21-4	80/20 + AlO 3;		appears to be
	14% loss		the result.
21-5	80/20 + Al; 11% loss
22-1	100/0; 2% loss	80/20 + Al sample	Aluminum additive
22-2	80/20; 9% loss	appears as eutectoid	sample shows best
22-3	80/20 + C; 5% loss	structure of MoSi 2	success. Possible to
22-4	80/20 + Al 2 O 3;	particles W/in	constrain transfor-
	16% loss	MoSi 2 β′/SiAlON	mation to Mo 5 Si 3
22-5	80/20 + Al; 2.6% loss	lamella/matrix	by carbon reacting
		80/20 + C: MoSi 2 ,	with excess SiO 2
		SiC, and β-Si 3 N 4

While the compositions, processes and articles of manufacture of this invention have been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, the inventive compositions, processes and articles are not to be construed as limited thereby. This patent is intended to cover all changes and modifications within the spirit and scope thereof.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The eutectoid composites of this invention would be useful for structural components or heating elements because of high temperature resistance, high temperature electrical and thermal conductivity, and oxidation resistance properties. Electromachining of the invention material is greatly facilitated by the electrical conductivity.

Claims

1. A composition comprising from about 55 weight percent to about 95 weight percent molybdenum disilicide, based upon total weight of the composition and from about 5 weight percent to about 45 weight percent β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z, wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5.

2. A composition comprising from about 65 weight percent to about 90 weight percent molybdenum disilicide, based upon total weight of the composition and from about 10 weight percent to about 35 weight percent β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z, wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5.

3. A composition comprising from about 75 weight percent to about 85 weight percent molybdenum disilicide, based upon total weight of the composition and from about 15 weight percent to about 25 weight percent β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z, wherein z=a number from greater than 0 to about 5.

4. A composition as recited in claim 3 wherein said β′-Si6−zAlzOzN8−z is a single phase in a matrix of said molybdenum disilicide.