EFFECT OF SINTERING TEMPERATURE ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF Y2O3-DOPED SiAlON CERAMICS

Tóm tắt

High-quality SiAlON ceramics are essential for advanced engineering applications owing to their outstanding mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Furthermore, tailored SiAlON compositions have shown significant potential in electronic substrates and sensor technologies. In this study, Y₂O₃-doped SiAlON ceramics were synthesized via a conventional solid-state reaction method. The influence of sintering temperature on the physical properties of the ceramics was systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and fracture toughness measurements (K_1C). Results revealed that increasing the sintering temperature from 1450 °C to 1650 °C led to a notable improvement in material densification, with bulk density increasing from 2.21 ± 0.1 g/cm³ to 2.66 ± 0.1 g/cm³. Concurrently, open porosity decreased from 11.07 ± 0.20% to 7.95 ± 0.20%, and water absorption reduced from 4.99 ± 0.20% to 2.99 ± 0.20%. These findings confirm the effective synthesis of high-quality Y₂O₃-doped SiAlON ceramics with enhanced physical properties, underscoring their suitability for high-performance applications.