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Scale-Up of the Nitridation and Sintering of Silicon Preforms Using Microwave Heating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J. O. Kiggans Jr.
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831-6087
T. N. Tiegs
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831-6087
C. C. Davisson
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831-6087
M. S. Morrow
Affiliation:
Y-12 Development Division, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831-8096
G. J. Garvey
Affiliation:
Golden Technologies, Inc., Golden, Colo.;, Presently, Ceradyne, Inc. Costa Mesa, CA.
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Abstract

Scale-up studies were performed in which microwave heating was used to fabricate reactionbonded silicon nitride and sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN). Tests were performed in both a 2.45 GHz, 500 liter and a 2.45 GHz, 4000 liter multimode cavities. A variety of sizes, shapes, and compositions of silicon preforms were processed in the studies, including bucket tappets and clevis pins for diesel engines. Up to 230 samples were processed in a single microwave furnace run. Data were collected which included weight gains for nitridation experiments, and final densities for nitridation and sintering experiments. For comparison, nitridation and sintering studies were performed using a conventional resistance-heated furnace.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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