Strength of hot isostatically pressed and sintered reaction bonded silicon nitrides containing Y2O3

The hot isostatic pressing of reaction bonded Si3N4 containing Y2O3 produced specimens with greater room temperature strengths than those by high pressure nitrogen sintering of the same material. Average room temperature bend strengths for hot isostatically pressed reaction bonded silicon nitride and high pressure nitrogen sintered reaction bonded silicon nitride were 767 and 670 MPa, respectively. Values of 472 and 495 MPa were observed at 1370 C. For specimens of similar but lower Y2O3 content produced from Si3N4 powder using the same high pressure nitrogen sintering conditions, the room temperature strength was 664 MPa and the 1370 C strength was 402 MPa. The greater strengths of the reaction bonded silicon nitride materials in comparison to the sintered silicon nitride powder material are attributed to the combined effect of processing method and higher Y2O3 content.