Fabrication of Si3N4 preforms from Si3N4 produced via CRN technique

Abstract

Ceramic preforms with randomly distributed particles as reticulated porous structure which are generally used for metal infiltration as reinforcement, membranes, catalyst supports etc. Preforms are characterized by open porosity making possible their infiltration by liquid metal alloys. In this work, quartz powders using carbon black as a reducing agent were used for alpha Si3N4 powders synthesis through a carbothermal reduction and nitridation (CRN) process. The CRN process was carried out under nitrogen flow at 1,450 °C for 4 h. At high temperatures, carbon as reducing agent reacts with the oxygen of SiO2, and the resulting metallic silicon compounds with nitrogen gas to obtain silicon nitride powder. The reacted powders were used to obtain reticulated ceramic by replica method. The powders containing various bentonite ratios were mixed in water to prepare slurry. The slurry was infiltrated into a polyurethane sponge. A high porous ceramic foam (preform) structure was achieved after burn out of the sponge. All ceramic preforms were sintered to increase stiffness (in the temperature range 900–1,350 °C). The sintered ceramic foams were subjected to compressive tests. The scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the reticulated ceramic foam structure, and X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to determine phases.