SI3N4 FORMED BY NITRIDATION OF SINTERED SILICON COMPACT

摘要

A polycrystalline silicon nitride body is produced by shaping silicon powder into a green body, sintering the body to produce a sintered body with a density ranging from 60% to 75% of the theoretical density of silicon, said sintered body having a microstructure with an average grain size as well as an average poresize ranging from about 0.1 micron to 6 microns and wherein the pores are interconnecting and open to the surface of the body, and reacting said sintered body with gaseous nitrogen to convert it to silicon nitride.