Abstract
Silicon nitride ceramics of the same nominal sialon composition have been sintered under different conditions including atmospheric sintering, overpressure sintering, reaction bonded (nitrided pressureless sinter) and sinter/HIP cycles. The sintered ceramics, which exhibited dramatic differences in fracture toughness, have been characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, analytical transmission electron microscopy, and image analysis techniques. Fracture toughness data have been correlated to the microstructural and chemical analysis of the grain boundary phases. The microstructure was the strongest influencing factor on the observed fracture toughness difference. 5 refs., 5 tabs.
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