• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.547-554
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• 1999

The self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramics were prepared by pressureless-sintering using ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers as a seed. Effects of ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers on microstructure and mechanical properties and the ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition of Si3N4 were investigated. The self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramics were densified(relative density$\geq$98%) by pressureless-sintering (1800$^{\circ}C$ 2h) using 8mol% Y2O3 and 6mol% Al2O3 as sintering aids and 5 vol% ${\beta}$-Si3N4 whiskers within self-reinforced Si3N4 ceramic seemed to hinder the densification owing to their acicular shapes but accelerated the ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition because they acted as pre-existing nuclei. It was found that the more ${\beta}$-Si3N4 nucei the faster ${\alpha}$ to ${\beta}$ phase transition.