Source: Superior Technical Ceramics
A Vermont-based ceramics solutions specialist and manufacturer recently announced in a white paper the introduction of a new direct-pressure, sintered silicon nitride powder-to-part component manufacturing process to be applied in a wide variety of industries.
Superior Technical Ceramics released the results of the heat treating process that provides a high-performance, cost-effective material solution as an alternative to both reaction-bonded silicon nitride and hot-pressed silicon nitride, and which the company expects to meet the demand from manufacturers looking for a material with a high strength-to-weight ratio, which compares favorably even with metallic nickel-based “superalloys”.
An excerpt:
“Silicon nitride (Si3N4) is a strong, lightweight, and commercially important non-oxide ceramic material. . . . Raw silicon nitride powder has a gray color and is typically fabricated by exposing pure metallic silicon powder to high-temperature nitrogen gas under pressure, although naturally occurring deposits have also been found as small inclusions in certain meteorites. Fully sintered (dense) silicon nitride has a dark gray to black coloration and component surfaces can be ground to a smooth polish. It is often utilized in demanding applications in which strength, wear resistance, fracture toughness, and dimensional stability are all required at high temperatures and/or in corrosive environments.”
