Premium
Mechanical Properties of Single‐Crystal α‐Si 3 N 4
Author(s) -
Reimanis Ivar E.,
Suematsu Hisayuki,
Petrovic John J.,
Mitchell T. E.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1996.tb08938.x
Subject(s) - indentation , materials science , cleavage (geology) , isotropy , indentation hardness , fracture toughness , transmission electron microscopy , crystallography , single crystal , composite material , mineralogy , microstructure , fracture (geology) , optics , chemistry , nanotechnology , physics
Single crystals of α‐Si 3 N 4 several millimeters in diameter and several millimeters long have been grown by chemical vapor deposition. Some of the microstructural and mechanical properties have been evaluated using X‐ray diffracometry, optical and transmission electron microscopy, and high‐temperature microhardness testing. The crystallographic growth direction determines the quality of the crystals, including the density of internal microcracks and the nature and quantity of special boundaries. The measurement of crack lengths associated with microindentations has shown that cleavage in α‐Si 3 N 4 is relatively isotropic. Finally, indentation fracture toughness values agree well with theoretical predictions based on recent bond‐energy calculations.