Preparation of Silicon Nitride-silicon Carbide Composites from Abrasive SiC Powders

Silicon nitride - silicon carbide composite was developed by using an abrasive SiC powders as a raw material. The composites were prepared by mixing abrasive SiC powder with silicon, pressing and sintering at $1400^{\circ}C$ under nitrogen atmosphere in atmosphere controlled vacuum furnace. The proportion of silicon in the initial mixtures varied from 20 to 50 wt%. After sintering, crystalline phases and microstructure were characterized. All composites consisted of ${\alpha}-Si_3N_4$ and ${\beta}-Si_3N_4$ as the bonding phases in SiC matrix. Their physical and mechanical properties were also determined. It was found that the density of the obtained composites increased with an increase in the $Si_3N_4$ content formed in the reaction.