EFFECT OF WEIGHT LOSS AND MICROSTRUCTURE BY HEAT TREATMENT AND FABRICATION OF LPS-SIC CERAMICS

In the present work, monolithic LPS-SiC was fabricated by hot press method with the addition of Al₂O₃, Y₂O₃ and SiO₂ and annealed at different temperatures to observe microstructure evolution. Process temperature was varied from 1760°C to 1800°C. Process pressure and maturing time are 20MPa and 1h respectively. Hot pressed samples were cut into rectangular bars. Three-point flexural strength was measured at room temperature in air with a cross-head speed of 0.1 mm/min and a lower span of 18 mm. Flexural strength and elastic modulus measurement was performed using a universal test machine (INSTRON 5581, USA). The apparent density of the sintered body was measured by the Archimedes method. The specimen dimension of the heat treatments is 4W×25L×1.5T mm. The specimens used for weight-loss measurement were set into an open carbon crucible to avoid nonuniform temperature distribution within the furnace. Post-fabrication heat treatment was performed in vacuum atmosphere (PO2 ≈ 0.01 Pa). The temperature was increased at a rate of 20 K/min to the heat-treatment temperature and maintained for 10 hours, after which the specimens were furnace cooled. After heat-treatment, weight of heat-treated specimens was carefully measured by an electronic balance. In order to reveal the microstructural change in heat-treated specimen, X-ray diffractometry and microstructure observation were performed and compared with those of the as-fabricated one.