Effect of the nature of the intergranular phase on sliding-wear resistance of liquid-phase-sintered α-SiC

The effect of the nature of the intergranular phase on sliding-wear resistance of equiaxed-grained, liquid-phase-sintered (LPS) α-SiC ceramics was studied. The nature of the intergranular phase in LPS α-SiC ceramics was modified using Ar or N2 sintering atmospheres, while maintaining the same grain size and morphology. Sintering under N2 leads to the incorporation of nitrogen in the intergranular phase, and attendant solid-solution hardening of that phase. The solid-solution hardened intergranular phase results in LPS SiC ceramics with improved sliding-wear resistance.