EUROPEAN CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION ON ADVANCED MATERIALS AND PROCESSES - EUROMAT 2021

Silicon nitride and SiAlONs are structural ceramics used in many wear parts, and recently have been indicated as promising materials for biomedical implants. The challenges for SiAlON densification can be overcome using additives and pressure assisted sintering. Traditionally, additives such as alumina and yttria are introduced using powders during powder processing. In this work, the use of atomic scale additives via organic precursors was explored. This preliminary work gives comparisons on the strength, elastic modulus, hardness, microstructure, and phase generation between atomic scale additives and conventional processed SiAlONs.