Interfacial Characterization of Silicon Nitride Powders

The composition of the surface and the behavior in aqueous suspensions of three silicon nitride powders were investigated using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), potentiometric titrations, leaching experiments, and electrophoretic mobility. ESCA shows that the as-received powders have a surface-layer composition similar to that identified as an intermediate state between silica and silicon oxynitride. The original differences in pH_iep between the three powders disappears by aging the powders. The common pH_iep of 6.8 ± 0.3 for the three powders is interpreted as the equilibrium pH_iep for silicon nitride in aqueous suspensions.