Claims
- 1. A process for producing a ceramic comprising at least about 90 w/o silicon nitride comprising, sequentially:
- a) forming a green body consisting essentially of i) at least about 90 w/o silicon nitride, ii) rare earth oxide and iii) silica, wherein at least about 80 w/o of the silicon nitride is alpha phase,
- b) presintering the green body in nitrogen at a temperature of between about 1750 degrees C. and about 2000 degrees C. to a density of 1.6-2.5 g/cc, and
- c) hot isostatic pressing the green body in a glass media at a temperature of between about 1800 and about 1900 degrees C., to produce the ceramic.
- 2. A process for producing a ceramic comprising at least about 90 w/o silicon nitride comprising:
- a) forming a green body consisting essentially of i) at least about 90 w/o silicon nitride, ii) rare earth oxide, and iii) silica,
- b) hot isostatic pressing the green body in a glass media at a temperature of between about 1800 and about 1900 degrees C. for at least 1 hour to produce a densified ceramic, and
- c) heat treating the densified ceramic in nitrogen at a temperature of between about 1800 and about 2000 degrees C. for at least about 3 hours.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
This invention was developed with support from the U.S. government under DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-840R21400 and DOD Contract No. DAAL-91-C-0039.
US Referenced Citations (10)