Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol.88, No.1, 66-70, 2005
Electrically conductive in situ formed nano-Si3N4/SiC/TiCxN1-x ceramic composite consolidated by pulse electric current sintering (PECS)
Fully dense nano-sized Si3N4/SiC/TiCxN1-x conductive composites have been synthesized through the reactive-consolidation of a powder mixture of amorphous polymer precursor-derived silicon carbonitride and nanocrystalline TiO2 by pulse electric current sintering. The nano-Si3N4 and SiC grains, with sizes ranging from 15 to 30 nm, form large aggregate regions up to 20 mum in size. The nano-TiC0.3N0.7 grains, ranging from 100 to 300 mum in size, form a connected matrix in which the micro-sized Si3N4/SiC aggregate regions are distributed. The resultant ceramic composite possesses an excellent electrical conductivity, similar to 3.40 x 10(4) (Omega (.) m)(-1). This ceramic also exhibits favorable mechanical properties, including similar to 14 GPa hardness and 6.7 MPa(.)m(1/2) fracture toughness.