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Development of calcium stabilized nitrogen rich α-sialon ceramics along the Si3N4:1/2Ca3N2:3AlN line using spark plasma sintering

Journal of Advanced Ceramics volume 9, pages 606–616 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Calcium stabilized nitrogen rich sialon ceramics having a general formula of CaxSi12-2xAl2xN16 with x value (x is the solubility of cation Ca in α-sialon structure) in the range of 0.2–2.2 for compositions lying along the Si3N4:1/2Ca3N2:3AlN line were synthesized using nano/submicron size starting powder precursors and spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The development of calcium stabilized nitrogen rich sialon ceramics at a significantly low sintering temperature of 1500 °C (typically reported a temperature of 1700 °C or greater) remains to be the highlight of the present study. The SPS processed sialons were characterized for their microstructure, phase and compositional analysis, and physical and mechanical properties. Furthermore, a correlation was developed between the lattice parameters and the content (x) of the alkaline metal cation in the α-sialon phase. Well-densified single-phase nitrogen rich α-sialon ceramics were achieved in the range of 0.53(3) ⩽ x ⩽ 1.27(3). A nitrogen rich α-sialon sample possessing a maximum hardness of 22.4 GPa and fracture toughness of 6.1 MPa·m1/2 was developed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by both King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, and the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    B. A. Ahmed

  2. Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates

    T. Laoui

  3. Center for Advanced Materials Research, Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates

    T. Laoui

  4. Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    A. S. Hakeem

Authors
  1. B. A. Ahmed
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  2. T. Laoui
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  3. A. S. Hakeem
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to T. Laoui or A. S. Hakeem.

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Ahmed, B.A., Laoui, T. & Hakeem, A.S. Development of calcium stabilized nitrogen rich α-sialon ceramics along the Si3N4:1/2Ca3N2:3AlN line using spark plasma sintering. J Adv Ceram 9, 606–616 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40145-020-0400-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40145-020-0400-y

Keywords

  • nitrogen rich sialon ceramics
  • α-sialon
  • calcium sialons
  • spark plasma sintering (SPS)
  • liquid phase sintering