Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vfjqv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T15:00:21.909Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Microwave Nitrudation of Silicon Compacts Utilizing a Temperature Gradient

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Jeffrey J. Thomas
Affiliation:
Depts. of Materials Science and Engineering andCivil Engineering Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3108
Hamlin M. Jennings
Affiliation:
Depts. of Materials Science and Engineering andCivil Engineering Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3108
D. Lynn Johnson
Affiliation:
Depts. of Materials Science and Engineering andCivil Engineering Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3108
Get access

Abstract

Silicon compacts nitrided utilizing the temperature gradient inherent to microwave heating were more fully converted to silicon nitride than was possible with similar compacts nitrided isothermally. Although nitrogen depletion prevented the reaction rate in the center from exceeding that at the surface, the temperature gradient partially counteracted the effect of nitrogen depletion. Thus the microwave-heated specimens could be nitrided fully before the reduction in porosity that accompanies the reaction eliminated the diffusion of nitrogen into the compact.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Ferber, M. K., Tiegs, T. N., and Jenkins, M. G., “Effect of Post-Sintering Microwave Treatments on the Mechanical Performance of Silicon Nitride,” Ceram. Eng. Soc. Proc. 12 [9-10], pp. 19932004 (1991).Google Scholar
2. Moulson, A. J., “Reaction-Bonded Silicon Nitride: Its Formation and Properties,” J. Mater. Sci. 14, pp. 1017–51 (1979).Google Scholar
3. Jennings, H. M., Dalgleish, B. J., and Pratt, P. L., “Reactions Between Silicon and Nitrogen, Part 1: Mechanisms,” J. Mater. Sci. 18, pp. 951–67 (1983).Google Scholar
4. Barsoum, M., Kangutkar, P., and Koczak, M. J., “Nitridation Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Silicon Powder Compacts,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 74 [6], pp. 1248–53 (1991).Google Scholar
5. Amato, I., Martorana, D., and Rossi, M., “The Nitriding of Silicon Powder Compacts,” Powder Met. 18 [36], pp. 339–48 (1975).Google Scholar
6. Sutton, W. H., “Microwave Processing of Ceramic Materials,” Ceram. Bull. 68 [2], pp. 376–86 (1989).Google Scholar
7. Janney, M. A. and Kimrey, H. D. Jr, “Microwave Sintering of Alumina at 28 GHz,” pp. 919–24 in Ceramic Transactions, Ceramic Powder Science II, B, eds Messing, G. L., Fuller, E. R. Jr, and Hausner, H., American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH (1988).Google Scholar
8. Thomas, J. J., Jesse, R. R., Johnson, D. L. and Jennings, H. M., “Nitridation of NonIsothermal Silicon Compacts,” pp. 277–83 in Microwave Processing of Materials III, Vol. 269, Eds Beatty, R. L., Sutton, W. H. and Iskander, M. F., Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA (1992).Google Scholar
9. Thomas, J. J., Christensen, R. J., Johnson, D. L., and Jennings, H. M., “Non-Isothermal Microwave Processing of Reaction-Bonded Silicon Nitride,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. (submitted), (1991).Google Scholar
10. Watters, D. G., “Advanced Study of Microwave Sintering,” PhD thesis, Northwestern University, 1989.Google Scholar