• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.224-229
• /
• 1999

The preparation and toughening of SiC-AIN solid solution from powder mixtures of $\beta$-SiC, AIN and $\alpha$-SiC by hot-pressing were studied in the 1870 to $2030^{\circ}C$ temperature range. The reaction of AIN and $\beta$-SiC(3C) powders causing transformation to the 2H(wurtzite) structure appeared to depend on hot-pressing temperatures and an additive of $\alpha$-SiC. For the composition of 49wt% SiC with 2 wt% $\alpha$-SiC and 47.5 wt% AIN47.5wt% SiC with 5 wt % $\alpha$-SiC at 203$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, th complete solid solutions with a single phase of 2H could be obtained. The appreciable amount of $\alpha$-SiC could develop the columnar inter-grains of 4H phase and the stable 2H phase with the relatively uniform composition and grain size distributions. The effect of $\alpha$-SiC on the phases present and compositional microstructures with columnar inter-grains was invetigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The fracture toughness and Vickers hardness of the hot-pressed solid solutions wre examined by the indentation-fracture-test method.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.232-240
• /
• 1992

Densification behavior, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties of hot-pressed specimens using $\beta$-SiC and $\alpha$-SiC powder with Al2O3 additive were studied. Beta-SiC powder was fully densified as 205$0^{\circ}C$, but $\alpha$-SiC powder was at 210$0^{\circ}C$. The maximum flexural strength and the fracture toughness of the specimen hot-pressed using $\beta$-SiC powder were 681 MPa and 6.7 MPa{{{{ SQRT {m } }}, and thosevalues of specimen hot-pressed using $\alpha$-SiC powder were 452 MPa and 4.7 MPa{{{{ SQRT {m } }}, respectively. The strength superiority of specimen hot-pressed using $\beta$-SiC powder was due to the finer grain size, and higher density. The higher toughness of specimen hot-pressed using $\beta$-SiC powder than $\alpha$-SiC powder than $\alpha$-SiC powder was due to the crack deflection mechanism arised from the difference of thermal expansion coefficient between $\alpha$ and $\beta$-SiC phases which were co-existed in the sintered body.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.152-156
• /
• 1996

Fine (~0.09 $\mu$m) $\beta$-SiC Powders with 3.3wt% of large (~0.44$\mu$m) $\alpha$-SiC of $\beta$-SiC particles (seeds) added were hotpressed at 175$0^{\circ}C$ using $Y_2O_3$, $Al_2O_3$ and CaO as sintering aids and then annealed at 185$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 h to enhance grain growth. The resultant microstructure and polytypes were analyzed by high resolution electron microscopy (HREM).Growth of $\beta$-SiC with high density of microtwins and formation of ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ composite grains consisting of $\alpha$-SiC domain sandwiched between $\beta$-SiC domains were found in both specimens. When large $\alpha$-SiC (mostly 6H) seeds were added, the $\beta$-SiC transformend preferentially to the 6H polytype. In contrast, when large $\beta$-SiC (3C) seeds were added, the fine $\beta$-SiC transformed preferentially to the 4H polytype. Such results suggested that the polytype formation in SiC was influenced by crystalline form of seeds added as well as the chemistry of sintering aids. The ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ interface played and important role in the formation of elongated grains as evidenced by presence of ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ composite grains with high aspect ratio.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
• /
• v.4C no.3
• /
• pp.111-116
• /
• 2004

The Ni/SiC Schottky diode was fabricated with the $\alpha$-SiC thin film grown by the ICP-CVD method on a (111) Si wafer. $\alpha$-SiC film has been grown on a carbonized Si layer in which the Si surface was chemically converted to a very thin SiC layer achieved using an ICP-CVD method at $700^{\circ}C$. To reduce defects between the Si and $\alpha$-SiC, the surface of the Si wafer was slightly carbonized. The film characteristics of $\alpha$-SiC were investigated by employing TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) and FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). Sputterd Ni thin film was used as the anode metal. The boundary status of the Ni/SiC contact was investigated by AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy) as a function of the annealing temperature. It is shown that the ohmic contact could be acquired beyond a 100$0^{\circ}C$ annealing temperature. The forward voltage drop at 100A/cm was I.0V. The breakdown voltage of the Ni/$\alpha$-SiC Schottky diode was 545 V, which is five times larger than the ideal breakdown voltage of the silicon device. As well, the dependence of barrier height on temperature was observed. The barrier height from C- V characteristics was higher than those from I-V.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.412-422
• /
• 1990

Porous SiC ceramics were proposed to be promising materials for high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion. Throughthe thermoelectric property measurements and microstructure observations on the porous alpha SiC and the mixture of $\alpha$-and $\beta$-SiC, it was experimentally clarified that elimination of stacking faults and twin boundaries by grain growth is effective to increase the seebeck coefficient and increasing content of $\alpha$-SiC gives rise to lower electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the effects of additives on the thermoelectric properties of 6H-SiC ceramics were also studied. The electrical conductivity and the seebeck coefficient were measured at 35$0^{\circ}C$ to 105$0^{\circ}C$ in argon atmospehre. The thermoelectric conversion efficiency of $\alpha$-SiC ceramics was lower than that of $\beta$-SiC ceramics. The phase homogeneity would be needed to improve the seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity decreased with increasing the content of $\alpha$-phase. In the case of B addition, XRD analysis showed that the phase transformation did not occur during sintering. On the other hand, AlN addiiton enhanced the reverse phase transformation from 6H-SiC to 4H-SiC, and this phenomenon had a great effect upon the electrical conductivity.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1094-1101
• /
• 1999

Liquid phase sintered silicon carbides were obtained by sintering of $\alpha$-SiC and $\beta$-SiC powders as starting materials at 2173K and 2273K respectively. The SiCplatelet seeds of different sizes were obtained by a repeated ball milling and sedimentation. Their mean size (d50) were 2.217 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ 13.67 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, 22.17${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ respectively 6wt%Al2O3-4 wt% Y2O3 was used as the sintering additives for the liquid phase sintering. The two silicon carbides had a bimodal microstructure consisting of small matrix grains and large platelike grains when the SiCplatelet seeds were added. In the case of the $\beta$-SiC the appreciable phase transformation occurred as sintering temperature increased from 2173K to 2273K and resulted in matrix shape change from equiaxed into platelike grains. In contrast there was no shape change for the $\alpha$-SiC. The size of large grains in the $\alpha$-SiC of large grains in the $\alpha$-SiC was larger than that of the large grains in the $\beta$-SiC These results suggested that the growth of the $\alpha$-SiCplatelet in the $\alpha$-SiC matrix was more favored than that of the $\alpha$-SiCplatelet in the $\beta$-SiC matix. The three point flexural strength decreased as the added seed size increased. Fracture toughness values of samples sintered at 2273K were higher than those of samples sintered at 2173K.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.824-830
• /
• 1991

$\alpha$-SiC(B; 0.4 wt, C; 3 wt%) was sintered in Ar atmosphere from 205$0^{\circ}C$ to 220$0^{\circ}C$ by means of pressureless sintering and gas pressure sintering in order to find optimum sintering condition of $\alpha$-SiC. Mechanical properties and microstructures of sintered bodies were investigated according to sintering method. The effect of sintering condition on sinterability of $\alpha$-SiC was also examined by using the dilatometer. 97.5% and 98.8% of theoretical density were obtained from pressureless sintering and gas pressure sintering of $\alpha$-SiC powder, respectively. And modulus of rupture was measured as 270~350 MPa and 420 MPa respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.18-26
• /
• 1997

$\beta-SiC $powder with or without the addition of 1 wt% of $\alpha-SiC$ particles (seeds) was pressureless-sintered at $1950^{\circ}C$ for 0.5, 2 and 4 h using $Y_3Al_5O_{12}$ (yttrium aluminum garnet, YAG) as a sintering aid. The introduction of $\alpha-SiC$ seeds into $\beta-SiC$ accelerated :he grain growth of elongated large grains during sintering, resulting in the coarser microstructure. The fracture toughnesses of materials with $\alpha$-SiC seeds and without $\alpha-SiC$ seeds sintered for 4 h were 7.5 and 6.1 $MPa\cdot \textrm m^{1/2}$, respectively. Higher fracture toughness of the material with seeds was due to the enhanced bridging by elongated grains, resulting from coarser microstructure.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.30 no.10
• /
• pp.785-790
• /
• 1993

Sialon ceramics are presently seen as promising materials with high hardness, strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance for friction and wear applications. The objective of present work is to improve of mechanical properties and wear resistance of $\alpha$-Sialon(x=0.4) by addition of SiC whisker. $\alpha$-sialon(x=0.4)/SiC whisker composites were obtained by hot-isostatic pressing at 173$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour under 1757Kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ N2 pressure after pressureless sintering the mixture of Si3N4, Y2O3, AlN at 1780~180$0^{\circ}C$ for 3~5 hours in N2 atmosphere. As the amount of SiC whisker content increased, relative density and hardness were decreased, however fracture toughness, bending strength and tribological properties were improved. Tribological properties of $\alpha$-Sialon/15 vol% SiC whisker composite were improved in spite of its low mechanical properties.

• 연구논문집
• /
• s.26
• /
• pp.103-112
• /
• 1996

$Al_2O_3/SiC$ Hybrid-Composite has been fabricated by conventional powder process. The addition of $\alpha-Al_2O_3$ as seed particles in the transformation of $\gamma-Al_2O_3 to $\alpha-Al_2O_3$ provided a homogeneity of the microstructure, resulting in increase of mechanical properties. The grain growth of $Al_2O_3$ are significantly surpressed by the addition of nano-sized. SiC particles, increasing in fracture strength. The addition of SiC plates to $Al_2O_3$ nano-composite decreased the fracture strength, but increased the fracture toughness. Coated SiC plates with nitrides such as BN and /SiC$Si_3N_4$ enhanced fracture toughness much more than uncoated SiC plates by inducing crack deflection.