Aqueous Processing of Textured Silicon Nitride Ceramics by Slip Casting in a Strong Magnetic Field

This work will report a highly textured ${\beta}-Si_3N_4$ ceramic by aqueous slip casting in a magnetic field and subsequent pressureless sintering, Effects of the sintering aids, polymer dispersant, pH and stirring time on the stability of the $Si_3N_4$ slurries were studied. The textured ${\beta}-Si_3N_4$ with 97 % relative density could be obtained by slip casting in a magnetic field of 12 T and subsequent sintering at $1800^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. The textured microstructure is featured by the alignment of c-axis of ${\beta}-Si_3N_4$ crystals perpendicular to the magnetic field, and the Lotgering orientation factor, f, is determined to be 0.8.