NIST Standard Reference Database 138
Last Update to Data Content: 1998
Reference: NIST Structural Ceramics Database
Other material collections: Property Data Summaries
Other Toughness materials
[Ref. 1a] [Ref. 1b] [Ref. 1c] [Ref. 1d] [Ref. 1e]
Manufacturer........: NRL Toshiba AMMRC AMMRC KBI
Material Designation: silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride
Material Form.......: polycrystal polycrystal polycrystal polycrystal Polycrystal
Composition.........: Si3N4 Si3N4 Si3N4, Si3N4, Si3N4
(mass fraction) 19% Y2O3 13% Y2O3
Processing..........:
[Ref. 2,4] [Ref. 3] [Ref. 5,6,7] [Ref. 8,9] [Ref. 10]
Manufacturer........: Unknown Norton Co. In laboratory In laboratory Dow Chemical Co.
Material Designation: silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride silicon nitride
Material Form.......: polycrystal polycrystal polycrystal polycrystal polycrystal
Composition.........: Si3N4 Si3N4 Si3N4 Si3N4 Si3N4
Processing..........: hot pressed hot isostatically sintered
pressed
[1] S. W. Freiman, A. Williams, J. J. Mecholsky, and R. W. Rice, "Fracture of Si3N4 and SiC" Ceramic Microstructures, pp. 824-834 (1976).
[2] G. Himsolt, H. Knoch, H. Huebner, and F. Kleinlein, "Mechanical Properties of Hot-Pressed Silicon Nitride with Different Grain Structures" Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 62, No. 1-2, pp. 29-32 (1979).
[3] A. G. Evans, and E. A. Charles, "Fracture Toughness Determinations by Indentation" Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 59, No. 7-8, p. 371-372 (1976).
[4] F. F. Lange, "Relation Between Strength, Fracture Energy, and Microstructure of Hot-Pressed Si(2)N(4)" Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 56, No. 10, 518-522 (1973).
[5] D. Chakraborty, A.K. Mukhopadhyay, and J. Mukerji, "Influence of Thermal Quenching on Surface Fracture Toughness and Microhardness of Si3N4, SiAlON, and SiC," Rev.Internationale Des Hautes Temper. et Des Refractaires, Vol. 22, pp. 105-113 (1985).
[6] T. Ohji, S. Sakai, M. Ito, Y. Yamauchi, W. Kanematsu, and S. Ito, "Fracture Energy and Tensile Strength of Silicon Nitride at High Temperatures," Journal of the Ceramic Society of Japan Inter. Ed., Vol. 98, pp. 244-251 (1990).
[7] C.A. Tracy and G.D. Quinn, "Fracture Toughness by the Surface Crack in Flexure (SCF) Method," Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings, Vol. 15, pp. 837-845 (1994).
[8] I. Tanaka, G. Pezzotti, T. Okamoto, and Y. Miyamoto, "Hot Isostatic Press Sintering and Properties of Silicon Nitride without Additives," Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 72, pp. 1656-1660 (1989).
[9] O. Unal, J.J. Petrovic, and T.E. Mitchell, "Mechanical Properties of Hot Isostatically Pressed Si3N4 and Si3N4/SiC composites," Journal of Materials Research, Vol. 8, pp. 626-634 (1993).
[10] G. D. Quinn, J. J. Swab, and M. D. Hill, "Fracture Toughness by the Surface Crack in Flexure (SCF) Method: New Test Results," Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings, Vol. 18 (4), pp. 163-172 (1997).
Temperature = 23 °C
Grain Porosity Fracture Fracture Measurement Measurement Comments
Size Toughness Energy Method Environment
[µm] [%] [MPa·m1/2] [J/m2]
------ -------- ------------ --------- ----------- ----------- --------------------------------
1-3 54 AMDCB air Ref. 1a; Major additives/impurities
were ZrC, ZrO2 or Zr.
1-3 8.3 110 AMDCB 1b; Major additives/impurities
were Y2O3, Al2O3
1-3 7.2 85 AMDCB 1c; Major additive/impurity was
19% Y2O3
1-3 109 AMDCB 1d; Major additive/impurity was
13% Y2O3
1-3 52 AMDCB 1e; Major additive/impurity was Mg
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3.2 SENB air Ref. 2; E = 317.5 GPa
16.5 WOF
4.96 SENB E = 311.1 GPa
30.4 WOF
7.81 SENB E = 302.8 GPa
67.8 WOF
6.59 SENB E = 309.6 GPa
47.4 WOF
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4.9 ICS dry N2 Ref. 3; Material was hot pressed with
MgO; H = 14.1 GPa; nu = 0.27
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69.5 DCB air Ref. 4; High alpha phase in starting
powder; density = 3.20 g/cm^2
39.6 DCB High alpha phase in starting
powder; density = 3.24 g/cm^2
29.2 DCB High alpha phase in starting
powder; density = 3.18 g/cm^2
54.4 DCB High alpha phase in starting
powder; density = 3.18 g/cm^2
31.0 DCB High alpha phase in starting
powder; density = 3.01 g/cm^2
15.8 DCB High beta phase in starting
powder; density = 3.24 g/cm^2
42.5 DCB Commerical hot-pressed
material; density = 3.18 g/cm^2
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4.1 ICS air Ref. 5; H = 20 GPa
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4.5 CNB air Ref. 6; 3.20 g/cm^3
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<5 4.7 scf air ref. 7; 3.10 g />cm^3; E = 248 GPa
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3.12 ICS air Ref. 8; E = 312 GPa; H = 14.6 GPa
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2.7 ICS air Ref. 9; H = 24 GPa
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6.75 SCF air Ref. 10; self-reinforced; E = 306 GPa;
density = 3.20 g/cm3
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