Effect of SiC particle size on flexural strength of porous self-bonded SiC ceramics

Porous self-bonded silicon carbide (SBSC) ceramics were fabricated from SiC powders with various particle sizes (0.7 μm, 25 μm, 50 μm, 65 μm), plus Si, C and boron (as a sintering additive). The effects of submicron (0.7 μm) SiC particle incorporation into the SBSC and the SiC particle size (25 μm, 50 μm, 65 μm) on the flexural strength and porosity of the ceramics were investigated as a function of sintering temperature. Incorporating 0.7 μm SiC particles into the ceramic material containing 25 μm SiC particles increased the flexural strength by 3 times, from 11.7 MPa up to 35.5 MPa after sintering at 1800 °C. Simultaneously, the porosity was reduced by ∼5 %. Furthermore, the flexural strength of ceramic with 25 μm SiC particles was superior to that with 65 μm SiC particles. Generally, the flexural strength of the SBSC increased as, both, a function of submicron SiC particle incorporation along with relatively small micron-sized particles (25 μm) in the microstructure of the ceramic plus increased sintering temperature.     

Optical and thermo-mechanical properties of fine-grained transparent yttria ceramics fabricated by hot-press sintering for infrared window applications

In this work, highly transparent yttria ceramics Φ?=?55?mm in size were fabricated by a hot-pressing method with 1 at.% ZrO₂ or 12 at.% La₂O₃ as a sintering additive. For a 4-mm-thick specimen doped with ZrO₂, the in-line transmittance reaches 71.1% at 400?nm and 80.9% at 1100?nm, and the transmittance of the La₂O₃-doped specimen is comparable to that of the ZrO₂-doped specimen. By means of the relatively low sintering temperature of 1600?°C, the present samples exhibited very fine microstructures (<2?μm), giving rise to excellent mechanical strength levels (～200?MPa). With regard to the 1 at.% ZrO₂-doped specimen, the combination of high strength and high thermal conductivity (～10 W/m?K) substantially improved parameters related to the thermal shock resistance. The results of this study indicate that the hot-pressed transparent yttria ceramic doped with 1 at.% ZrO₂ is optically, mechanically, and thermally suitable for high-temperature IR window applications.     

Processing of Microcellular Mullite

A new processing route for manufacturing partially interconnected open-cell, microcellular mullite ceramics has been developed. The strategy adopted for making microcellular mullite ceramics entailed the following steps: (i) fabricating a formed body from combining polysiloxane, Al₂O₃ (a reactive filler), polymer microbeads (used as sacrificial templates), and Y₂O₃ (a sintering additive); (ii) cross-linking the polysiloxane in the formed body; (iii) transforming the polysiloxane by pyrolysis into SiO₂; and (iv) synthesizing mullite by reacting SiO₂ and Al₂O₃. By controlling the sintering temperature and the microbead and additive contents, it was possible to adjust the porosity so that it ranged from 38% to 85%.
The compressive strengths of the microcellular ceramics with ∼40% and ∼70% porosities were ∼90 and ∼10 MPa, respectively. The superior compressive strengths were attributed to the homogeneous distribution of small (≤20 μm), spherical cells with dense struts in the microcellular ceramics.     

Dyestuffs for synthetic polymer fibres: 4-N-morpholinoazobenzenes

A series of monoazo disperse dyes derived from the coupling to N-phenylmorpholine of diazotised anilines and aminothiazole derivatives is described. The colour, dyeing and fastness properties of the dyes is compared to those of the analogous dyes based on N-ethyl-N-β-hydroxy-ethylaniline. Dyes from the ring closed heterocyclic coupling components dye synthetic-polymer fibres in deep colours of good fastness properties and show significant hypsochromic colour shifts compared to the uncyclised derivatives.     

Fabrication of Open-Cell, Microcellular Silicon Carbide Ceramics by Carbothermal Reduction

A novel processing route for developing open-cell, microcellular SiC ceramics has been developed. The strategy adopted for making microcellular SiC ceramics involved the following: (i) fabricating a formed body from a mixture of polysiloxane, phenol resin (used as a carbon source), polymer microbeads (used as sacrificial templates), and Al₂O₃–Y₂O₃ (an optional sintering additive); (ii) cross-linking the polysiloxane in the formed body; (iii) transforming the polysiloxane and phenol resin by pyrolysis into silicon oxycarbide and C, respectively; and (iv) synthesizing SiC by carbothermal reduction. By controlling the microbead and additive contents, it was possible to adjust the porosity so that it ranged from 60% to 95%.     

Fabrication of β-Si3N4 whiskers from a GPSed-RBSN sponge using 6Y2O3–2MgO additives

In this study, β-Si₃N₄ whiskers with a diameter of 0.05–1.5 μm and length of about 70 μm were successfully fabricated using a gas pressure sintered (GPSed)-reaction boned silicon nitride (RBSN) process at 1550 °C for 9 h. The β-Si₃N₄ whiskers grew on the frame and filled fully in the pores of the GPSed-RBSN sponge. 6Y₂O₃–2MgO additives played a significant role in the growth of β-Si₃N₄ whiskers and α-Si₃N₄ whiskers, while α-Si₃N₄ whiskers, which were grown inside the RBSN sponge through the vapor–solid mechanism, had a diameter ranging from 50 to 100 nm and length of about 80 μm.     

High‐Energy Efficiency Membraneless Flowless Zn–Br Battery: Utilizing the Electrochemical–Chemical Growth of Polybromides

Aqueous Zn–Br batteries (ZBBs) offer promising next‐generation high‐density energy storage for energy storage systems, along with distinctive cost effectiveness particularly in membraneless and flowless (MLFL) form. Unfortunately, they generally suffer from uncontrolled diffusion of corrosive bromine components, which cause serious self‐discharge and capacity fade. An MLFL‐ZBB is presented that fundamentally tackles the problem of bromine crossover by converting bromine to the polybromide anion using protonated pyridinic nitrogen doped microporous carbon decorated on graphite felt (NGF). The NGF electrodes efficiently capture bromine and polybromide anions at the abundant protonated nitrogen dopant sites within micropores and facilitate effective conversion of bromine into polybromides through electrochemical–chemical growth mechanism. The MLFL‐ZBBs with NGF exhibit an extraordinary stability over 1000 charge/discharge cycles, with an energy efficiency over 80%, the highest value ever reported among membraneless Zn–Br batteries. Judicious engineering of an atomistically designed nanostructured electrode offers a novel design platform for low cost, high voltage, long‐life cycle aqueous hybrid Zn–Br batteries.     

The formation of NaMg2Al15O25 in an α-Al2O3 matrix and its effect on the mechanical properties of alumina

An in-situ sintering reaction was designed to produce lath-like \-alumina in an -alumina matrix in order to make alumina ceramics stronger and tougher. The reaction sequence to produce \-alumina (NaMg₂Al₁₅O₂₅) requires the formation of \-alumina (NaAl₁₁O₁₇) and spinel (MgAl₂O₄) at around 1100 dgC followed by a solid-state reaction of these two phases to give \-alumina at elevated temperatures; this reaction is complete at around 1600 °C. The in-situ sintering reaction produces near-theoretically dense alumina ceramics in which lath-like \-aluminas are homogeneously distributed. The bending strength and fracture toughness increase to 620 MPa and 5 MPam^1/2, respectively; these increases are thought to be due to the suppression of grain growth as well as the crack deflection and bridging associated with lath-like \-alumina.     

Microstructure characterization of in situ synthesized porous Si<Subscript>3</Subscript>N<Subscript>4</Subscript>–Si<Subscript>2</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O composites using feldspar additive

Porous Si₃N₄–Si₂N₂O bodies fabricated by multi-pass extrusion process were investigated depending on the feldspar addition content (4–8 wt% Si) in the raw silicon powder. The diameter of the continuous pores was about 250 μm. The polycrystalline Si₂N₂O fibers observed in the continuous pores as well as in the matrix regions of the nitrided bodies can increase the filtration efficiency. In the 4 wt% feldspar addition, the diameter of the Si₂N₂O fibers in the continuous pores of the nitrided bodies was about 90–150 nm. A few number of rope typed Si₂N₂O fibers (∼4 μm) was found in the case of 8 wt% feldspar addition. However, in the 8 wt% feldspar addition, the matrix showed highly porous structure composed of large number of the Si₂N₂O fibers (∼60 nm). The relative densities of the Si₃N₄–Si₂N₂O bodies with 4 wt% and 8 wt% feldspar additions were about 65% and 61%, respectively.