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Studies on the Scale-Up of the Microwave-Assisted Nitridation and Sintering of Reaction-Bonded Silicon Nitride

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

J. O. Kiggans
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
T. N. Tiegs
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
H. D. Kimrey
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Jon-Paul Maria
Affiliation:
Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.
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Abstract

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.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

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References

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