Scale-up studies were performed in which microwave heating was used to fabricate reactionbonded silicon nitride and sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN). Tests were performed in both a 2.45 GHz, 500 liter and a 2.45 GHz, 4000 liter multimode cavities. A variety of sizes, shapes, and compositions of silicon preforms were processed in the studies, including bucket tappets and clevis pins for diesel engines. Up to 230 samples were processed in a single microwave furnace run. Data were collected which included weight gains for nitridation experiments, and final densities for nitridation and sintering experiments. For comparison, nitridation and sintering studies were performed using a conventional resistance-heated furnace.

This investigation compares microstructures and mechanical properties of both Gelcast B4C and “conventionally” die-pressed B4C, using both microwave and conventional sintering methods. The microstructures and final mechanical properties of B4C specimens are discussed.

Studies using laboratory test samples have shown that microwave heating produces sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride materials with improved properties [1,2]. The final challenge for processing this material by microwave heating is the development of a technology for processing larger batch-size quantities of these materials. Initial microwave scale-up experiments were performed using powder compacts of a bucket tappet geometry. In experiments using microwave-transparent boron nitride sample crucibles, temperature gradients within some crucibles led to larger variations in the sample densities than were obtained with the conventionally processed samples. The use of a microwave-suscepter type crucible made of silicon carbide and boron nitride resulted in an improved temperature uniformity and in density variations comparable to those obtained for the control groups.

Sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN) tiles were fabricated using microwave and conventional heating. Materials from both processes were analyzed at various stages in their fabrication. Microwave processing resulted in a SRBSN material of higher density and strength than the conventionally processed material.

Microwave sintering of Si3N4—based materials showed improved densification as compared to samples heated conventionally under similar conditions. Accelerated nitridation of Si in the microwave furnace to produce Si3N4 was also observed. Dense Si3N4, annealed by microwave heating, exhibited enhanced grain growth; however preferential coupling of the microwave power to the grain—boundary phases in the present experiments resulted in their degradation.

Microwave sintering possesses unique attributes and has the potential to be developed asa new technique for controlling microstructure to improve the properties of advanced ceramics. 1–6 Because microwave radiation penetrates most ceramics, uniform volumetric heating is possible. Thermal gradients, which are produced during conventional sintering because of conductive and radiative heat transfer to and within the part, can be minimized. By eliminating temperature gradients, it is possible to reduce internal stresses, which contribute to cracking of parts during sintering, and to create a more uniform microstructure, which may lead to improved mechanical properties and reliability. With uniform, volumetric temperatures, the generation of nonuniform particle/grain growth due to temperature gradients and associated sintering gradients can be regulated.