Preparation of Silicon Nitride with High Thermal Conductivity and High Flexural Strength Using YbH2-MgO as Sintering Additive

doi:10.15541/jim20200705

Abstract

Abstract:

Silicon nitride with high thermal conductivity was obtained by two-step sintering method using YbH₂-MgO as sintering additive. The effect of YbH₂-MgO on shrinkage behavior, phase composition, microstructure, thermal conductivity, and flexural strength was investigated. The nitrogen-riched and oxygen-lacked oxynitride liquid phase was generated owing to the elimination of SiO₂ by YbH₂. Both the removal of lattice oxygen and the growth of β-Si₃N₄ were stimulated by the liquid phase. Therefore, compared to Yb₂O₃-MgO doped sample, silicon nitride with enlarged grains, purified lattice and reduced intergranular phase was obtained. Ultimately, its thermal conductivity increased by 13.7% from 115.32 to 131.15 W·m^-1·K^-1 after sintering at 1900 ℃ for 24 h by substituting Yb₂O₃ with YbH₂. Although the replacement of Yb₂O₃ by YbH₂ leads to enhanced flexural strength at low temperature, it tends to reduce the flexural strength at high temperature. The optimal flexural strength of (1008±35) MPa was achieved after sintering at 1800 ℃ for 4 h. This variation related mainly to the exaggerated bimodal microstructure. This work signifies that YbH₂-MgO is effective for obtaining Si₃N₄ ceramics with both high flexural strength and high thermal conductivity.

Key words: silicon nitride, YbH₂, thermal conductivity, flexural strength

CLC Number:

TQ174

WANG Weide, CHEN Huanbei, LI Shishuai, YAO Dongxu, ZUO Kaihui, ZENG Yuping. Preparation of Silicon Nitride with High Thermal Conductivity and High Flexural Strength Using YbH₂-MgO as Sintering Additive[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2021, 36(9): 959-966.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 (a) Elemental distributions of YbHM after ball milling, (b) XRD patterns of α-Si3N4 raw powder, YbHM after ball milling, and YbHM after pre-sintering, (c) elemental distributions of YbHM after pre-sintering

Fig. 2 XRD patterns of powder mixture of YbH2 and SiO2 with moler ratio of 1 : 1 before and after pre-sintering

Fig. 3 (a) In-situ observation of shrinkage behaviors of the Si3N4 ceramics, (b) relative density after gas-pressure sintering, and (c) weight loss after gas-pressure sintering

Fig. 4 XRD patterns of Si3N4 samples after being sintered at 1900 ℃ for 4 and 24 h

Fig. 5 Elemental distributions of sample YbHM after being sintered at 1900 ℃ for 12 h

Fig. 7 EDS analysis of the intergranular phases in YbOM and YbHM specimens

Fig. 8 (a) Thermal conductivities and (b) flexural strengths of Si3N4 samples after gas pressure sintering

Table 1 Thermal conductivities of Si3N4 doped with different rare-earth hydride

Additive	Ionic radius /nm	Annealing time at 1900 ℃/h	Thermal conductivity /(W·m^-1·K^-1)
GdH₂ ^[25]	0.094	4 h	98.07
		12 h	119.07
		24 h	134.90
YH₂ ^[23]	0.089	4 h	101.80
		12 h	123.00
		24 h	131.60
YbH₂	0.086	4 h	100.20
		12 h	118.90
		24 h	131.15

References 33

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Preparation of Silicon Nitride with High Thermal Conductivity and High Flexural Strength Using YbH₂-MgO as Sintering Additive

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