Abstract
In the present study, $Si_3N_4-SiC$ ceramic composites that contained up to 20 wt% of dispersed SiC particles were fabricated via hot-pressing with an oxynitride glass. The microstructure, the mechanical properties, and the cutting performance of resulting ceramic composites were investigated. By fixing the composition as $Si_3N_4-20$ wt% SiC, the effect of sintering time on the microstructure, the mechanical properties, and the cutting performance were also investigated. For machining of gray cast i개n, the tool life increases with increasing the amount of SiC content in the composites; The tool life also increased with increasing the sintering time. The tool life of the home-made cutting tools was very close to that of commercial $Si_3N_4$ cutting tool. The superior cutting performance of $Si_3N_4-SiC$ ceramic cutting tools suggests the possibility to be a new ceramic tool material.
