Pressureless sintered Al2O3–SiC nanocomposites

Al2O3 + 5 vol% SiC composite ceramics were prepared via a conventional powder processing route followed by pressureless sintering. Commercially available Al2O3 and SiC powders were milled together in an aqueous suspension. The slurry was freeze granulated, and green bodies were obtained by cold isostatic pressing of the granules. Pressureless sintering was carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1750 and 1780 °C. Near full density (>99%) was achieved at 1780 °C. Densification at the lower sintering temperature was promoted by smaller additions of MgO. Vickers hardness and indentation fracture toughness varied around 18 GPa and 2.3 MPa m1/2 after sintering at 1780 °C. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the SiC particles were located predominantly to the interior of the matrix grains and well distributed throughout the composite microstructures. The intragranular particles had sizes in the range 50–200 nm while the intergranular particles were larger, typically 200–500 nm in diameter.