• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.832-836
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• 2003

Multi-layer ceramic composites were prepared by tape casting followed by hot pressing using silicon nitride layer with silicon nitride whiskers, silicon nitride layer with silicon carbide particles and boron nitride-alumina layer. The whiskers were aligned during the casting. As the whisker content of the silicon nitride layer was increased up to 10 wt％, the flexural strength of the multi-layer composite was increased. However, further increase of the whisker content in the layer resulted in a rapid decrease of the strength of the composite. The results suggest that the strength of multi-layer ceramic composite showing non-catastrophic failure behavior can be significantly improved by incorporating the aligned whiskers in the layers.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.547-554
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• 1999

The self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramics were prepared by pressureless-sintering using ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers as a seed. Effects of ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers on microstructure and mechanical properties and the ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition of Si3N4 were investigated. The self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramics were densified(relative density$\geq$98%) by pressureless-sintering (1800$^{\circ}C$ 2h) using 8mol% Y2O3 and 6mol% Al2O3 as sintering aids and 5 vol% ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers within self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramic seemed to hinder the densification owing to their acicular shapes but accelerated the ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition because they acted as pre-existing nuclei. It was found that the more ${\beta}$-Si3N4 nucei the faster ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.432-443
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• 1999

The self-toughened Si3N4 ceramics where needle-like coarse ${\beta}$-Si3N4 grains were dispersed within fine-grain-ed matrix were prepared via hot-prssing at 1730$^{\circ}C$ for 2 h using 5 vol% ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers as a seed. In this study the microstructures and mechanical properties of self-toughened Si3N4 ceramics were investigated. The flexural strength of self-toughened Si3N4 ceramics was increased from 600-800 MPa of the Si3N4 monolith to 830-1025 MPa. The KIC was also increased from 4.0-5.0MPa$.$m1/2 of the Si3N4 monolith to 5.8-6.5MPa$.$m1/2$.$The needle-like coarse Si3N4 grains in self-toughened ceramics were considered to induce various toughening mechanisms including the crack deflection pull-out and bridging and to contribute to KIC improvement. In ad-dition to toughening mechanisms the KIC improvement was considered to be partially indebted also to the orien-tation of large ${\beta}$-Si3N4 grains and to the promoting effect of ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers on the ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ transtion.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.97.1-97.1
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• 2012

Porous ceramics are widely used for applications such as catalysis supports, gas distributors and filters such as DPF. For these purpose, it is important to have proper porosity controlling pore structure while maintaining mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, we have prepared the porous ceramic structures made of reaction bonded silicon nitride with hierarchical pore structures. Uni-directionally aligned pore channels, which are mostly filled with ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers, were achieved by an ice-templating method. The structures of the pore channels and the walls are controllable by the processing conditions, such as solid concentration, freezing rate of the slurry, and additives. We have investigated and characterized the influences of the conditions on the microstructures and the properties, such as porosity, pore size distribution, lamellar thickness, wavelength, and orientations. The compressive strength test and flow test was performed to determine the structural integrity and air permeability.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.483-489
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• 1999

Gas pressure sintered silicon nitride based composites with 3 wt% $\beta$-Si3N4 whiskers were prepared and change of properties according to the whisker orientation and sintering temperature was studied. The tapes with whiskers were fabricated by two different method ; conventional tape casting and a modified tape casting by using guide pins,. Orientations of the whiskers were controlled by different stacking sequences of the sheets cut from the tape. Samples were fully densified by gas pressure sintering at 2148-2273K. As the sintering temperature increased size of the large elongated grains increased. In case of unidirectional samples sintering shrinkage normal to the whisker alignment direction was larger than that of parallel to the direction and the shrinkage anisotropy increased slightly as sintering temperature increased. As sintering temperature increased the crack length parallel to whisker alignment direction became shorter but that normal to the direction did not depend on sintering temperature. In case of cross-plied samples the anisotropy of mechanical properties disappeared.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2000

Gas pressure sintered silicon nitride based composites with 5 wt% $\beta$-Si3N4 whiskers were prepared, and the variations depending on sintering additives and sintering temperature were studied. Sintering additives were 6 wt% Y2O3-1 wt% MgO(6Y1M), 6 wt%Y2O3-1 wt% Al2O3(6Y1A), 6 wt% Y2O3-1 wt% SiO2(6Y1S), and whiskers were unidirectionally oriented by a modified tape casting technique. Samples were fully densified by gas pressure sintering at 2148 K and 2273 K. As the sintering temperature increased, the size of large elongated grains was increased. Three point flexural strength of 6Y1M and 6Y1M samples was higher than that of 6Y1S sample, and the strength decreased as the sintering temperature increased. The indentation crack length became shorter for the sample sintered at higher temperature, and the difference between the cracks length parallel to and normal to the direction of whisker alignment was decreased. In case of cracks 45$^{\circ}$off the whisker alignment direction, the crack length anisotropy disappeared.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 1999

Gas pressure sintered silicon nitride based composites with 0~5wt% $\beta$-Si3N4 whiskers were prepared. The whiskers were unidirectionally oriented by a modified tape casting technqiue and green bodies with various microstructure were formed by changing stacking sequences of sheets cut from the tape. Orientations of the large elongated grains of the sample after gas pressure sintering were the same as the those of the whiskers of green body, and the sintering shrinkage and mechanical properties of sintered sample were consistent with the microstructural characteristics. In case of unidirectional samples, the sintering shrinkage normal to whisker alignment direction was larger than that parallel to the direction. The shrinkage difference inceaed as the whiskercontent increaed. As whisker content increaed, the crack length normal to and parallel to tape casting direction became shorter and larger, respectively. Although the grain size increased by th whisker addition, the flexural strength of unidirectional samples was not lower than that of smaple without the whisker. In case of crossplied and 45$^{\circ}$rotated samples, the anisotropy of mechanical preoperties disappeared.