SIC COMPLEX SINTERED BODIES AND PRODUCTION THEREOF

Abstract: An SiC complex sintered body consists essentially of 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 80 to 0.5 wt% of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of W₂B₅ and/or MoB₂, and 0.5 to 5 wt% of at least one material selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, and boron carbide. A process for producing preparing a mixed powder is also disclosed, which consists essentially of 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 80 to 0.5 wt% of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of W₂B₅ and MoB₂, and 0.5 to 5 wt% of at least one material selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, and boron carbide, molding the mixture, and firing the molding in a temperature range from 1,900 to 2,500°C in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere.

Description: The present invention relates to SiC complex sintered bodies which have excellent high temperature-characteristics peculiar to SiC itself and high toughness and which can be produced by pressureless sintering, and also to a process for producing such SiC complex sintered bodies. As SiC sintered bodies having a single phase, there are silicon carbide sintered bodies containing a B-C based sintering assistant (hereinafter referred to as "B-C based SiC") and silicon carbide sintered bodies containing an Al based sintering assistant (hereinafter referred to as "Al based SiC"). Although the B-C based SiC has excellent characteristics at high temperatures, toughness is poor (K IC =2-3 MN/m 3/2 ). On the other hand, although the Al based SiC has excellent toughness, characteristics at high temperatures are not so good. With respect to Al based SiC, Japanese patent application Laid-open No. 60-186,468 discloses ceramic structural bodies and a process for producing the same, aiming at higher toughness. The ceramic structural bodies contain at least one kind of bodies of elements in Group Vb or VIb of Periodic Table in silicon carbide. The sintered bodies are obtained by mixing elements in a specified composition, molding the mixture, and firing the molding in a temperature range from 1,900°C to 2,500°C. However, according to specific examples of ceramic structural bodies disclosed in the above Japanese patent application Laid-open No. 60-186,468, fracture toughness is improved by using W₂B or MoB₂ and Al as an additive and a sintering assistant, respectively, and promoting densification by hot pressing. The reason why the firing is effected by hot pressing is that since W₂B is difficult to sinter, densification cannot be attained by pressureless sintering. As to MoB₂, when MoB₂ is added to Al based SiC, densification cannot be effected by pressureless sintering, either. However, sintered bodies having complicated shapes cannot be obtained by hot pressing, which has low industrial applicability from the standpoint of the mass productivity and manufacturing cost. When an Al based assistant is used, an intergranular phase having a low melting point generally remains in an SiC intergranular phase, so that strength and oxidation resistance at high temperatures lower. Consequently, obtained sintered bodies have fatal defects as materials for use at high temperatures. It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide high strength, high toughness SiC complex sintered bodies and a process for producing such highly tough SiC complex sintered bodies by pressureless sintering, while maintaining characteristics at high temperatures, which are peculiar to SiC. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a SiC complex sintered body as set out in claim 1. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there are provided processes for producing SiC complex sintered bodies, as set out in claims 8 and 10. In the invention, by incorporating a specified amount of W₂B₅ or MoB₂ into B-C based SiC, toughness which is poor for the B-C based SiC can be improved and the SiC complex sintered bodies having high strength at high temperatures and high toughness can be obtained by pressureless firing. That is, since W₂B₅ and MoB₂ have high thermal stability, they exhibit excellent characteristics at high temperatures. Further, since W₂B₅ has a higher Young's modulus as compared with SiC, crack deflection phenomenon that cracks proceeding in an SiC matrix are recoiled by W₂B₅ grains is effectively exhibited to improve toughness. On the other hand, since hardness greatly differs between MoB₂ and SiC, the crack deflection phenomenon that cracks proceeding in a sintered body are recoiled at interfaces between MoB₂ grains and SiC grains is effectively exhibited to also improve toughness. Further, W₂B₅ itself also has an effect to promote densification during the sintering, and thus high density which has not been attained in conventional SiC sintered bodies can be obtained by pressureless sintering. In addition, in the B-C based SiC, it is known that SiC grains abnormally grow up to several hundreds µm during a final stage of the sintering, i.e., at sintering temperatures not less than 2,100°C to hinder densification and greatly deteriorate characteristics of sintered bodies. Thus, it was necessary to set the sintering temperature at substantially not more than 2,100°C. Since MoB₂ can effectively restrain the above abnormal grain growth, sintering can be effected at sintering temperatures more than 2,100°C. Consequently, high density which has not been attained in conventional SiC sintered bodies can be attained by pressureless sintering and sintered bodies having desired shapes can be produced. For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of producing steps of the producing process according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diffraction pattern in an X-ray diffraction test using a CuKα line with respect to a sintered body in Example 4 obtained according to the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a diffraction pattern in an X-ray diffraction test using a CuKα line with respect to a sintered body in Example 103 obtained according to the present invention. First, Young's modulus, hardnesses, and melting points of various bodies and SiC are shown together in the following Table 1. These data were extracted from Samsonoff: High Melting Point Compounds Manual and El Be Caterinicoff: Super High Melting Point Materials Manual. Young's modulus (kg/mm²) Hardness (kg/mm²) Melting point (°C) W₂B₅ 79,000 - 2,370 TiB₂ 54,000 3,370±60 2,790 ZrB₂ 35,000 2,252±22 3,200 NbB₂ 65,000 2,600 3,000 MoB₂ - 1,200 2,350 HfB₂ - 2,900±500 3,250 TaB₂ 26,200 2,500±42 3,037 SiC 39,400 3,600 2,540 The above-mentioned effects are first obtained in B-C based complex sintered bodies of SiC-W₂B₅ and/or MoB₂, but have not formerly been known at all. Now, limitations made in the present invention will specifically be explained. The reason why the average particle diameter of SiC powder as a starting material is limited to not more than 5 µm is that if it exceeds 5 µm, densification cannot be effected by pressureless sintering. The reason why the mixing ratio of SiC is limited to a range from 20 to 99 wt% is that if the total amount of the other ingredients exceeds 80 wt%, characteristics of SiC as a base cannot fully be exhibited, while if it is less than 1 wt%, effects of improving characteristics due to addition of the additives cannot be obtained. The mixing ratio of SiC ranges preferably from 30 to 99 wt%, more preferably from 40 to 99 wt%. The reason why the total mixing ratio of W₂B₅ or MoB₂ is limited to a range from 80 to 0.5 wt% is that if it exceeds 80 wt%, characteristics at high temperatures are deteriorated, while if it is less than 0.5 wt%, toughness is not improved and the effect of restraining abnormal grain growth cannot be obtained. As to W₂B₅ alone, the mixing ratio is preferably from 70 to 5 wt%, more preferably from 60 to 10 wt%. As to MoB₂ alone, the mixing ratio is preferably from 70 to 0.5 wt%, and more preferably from 60 to 0.5 wt%. The reason why the total amount of at least one kind of boron, carbon and boron carbide in the sintered body is limited to a range from 0.5 to 5 wt% is that if it falls outside the range, densification is not fully effected so that high strength SiC complex sintered bodies cannot be obtained. The reason why an amount of B or the B-forming compound is limited to 0.1 to 5 wt% is that if it is less than 0.1 wt%, an effect due to addition thereof cannot be recognized and densification is not caused, while it exceeds 5 wt%, densification is hindered and a great amount of B remains in the intergranular phase to deteriorate high temperature characteristics. Further, the reason why an amount of C or the C-forming compound is limited to 0.1 to 5 wt% is that if it is less than 0.1 wt%, an SiO₂ film on the surface of SiC cannot fully be removed, while if it is exceeds 5 wt%, a great amount of free carbon remains in the sintered body to deteriorate the characteristics. Next, the process for producing SiC complex sintered bodies according to the present invention will be explained by way of example with reference to Fig. 1. First, a starting powder of SiC is adjusted to the average particle diameter of not more than 5 µm, and W₂B₅ or a W₂B₅-forming compound or MoB₂ or a MoB₂-forming compound, B or a B-forming compound, and C or a C-forming compound are prepared as additives. The SiC starting powder and the additives are mixed and milled at specified proportions together with an appropriate binder such as isopropyl alcohol by using a wet type ball mill. After being dried, the milled mixture is granulated, and preliminarily molded. The preliminary molding is molded in a desired shape by hydrostatic press. The molding is finally fired in a temperature range from 1,900°C to 2,500°C in vacuum or in an inert gas atmosphere to obtain a sintered product. The temperature range is preferably from 1,900 to 2,300°C when W₂B₅ is employed alone. The reason why the firing temperature is limited to the range from 1,900 to 2,500°C is that if it is less than 1,900°C, densification cannot fully be effected, while if it is more than 2,500°C silicon carbide is greatly decomposed to roughen the surface of the sintered body, so that sufficiently smooth surface cannot be obtained. For example, the SiC starting powder to be used in the producing process according to the present invention consists of 93 wt% of β-SiC and the remainder being α-SiC, and has the average particle diameter of 0.42 µm and a specific surface area of 20.0 m²/g with the following composition. In the above producing process of the present invention, it may be that instead of addition of W₂B₅ or MoB₂, W or Mo, or another boride or an oxide thereof is added separately from a boron-containing additive, and that W₂B₅ or MoB₂ is formed in a molding or a mixed powder during an initial stage of firing or by another heat treatment before the firing. In this case, it is necessary to add an excess amount of B enough to fully synthesize W₂B₅ or MoB₂. In addition, it is also possible to improve characteristics of sintered bodies by further densifying them in capsulized HIP or capsule-free HIP after the firing. As the W₂B₅-forming material, W may be used. As the MoB₂-forming material, Mo may be used. As the B-containing compound, B₄C may be used. As the C-forming organic compound, phenolic resin may be used. Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to specific experiments. Experiment 1 First, a starting powder of SiC was prepared to have the average particle diameter of not more than 5 µm, which was mixed with W₂B₅ as an additive and B (metallic boron) and C (carbon black) as sintering assistant in a wet type ball mill at a compounding recipe shown in Table 3 by using isopropyl alcohol. The mixture was dried and granulated, which was preliminarily molded and then hydrostatically pressed at 300 MPa (3 tons/cm²) to obtain a square plate of 60×60×6 mm. The thus obtained plate was heated up to 1,500°C in vacuum, and then fired at 2,100°C in argon atmosphere for one hour. In such a way, sintered bodies in Examples according to the present invention and Comparative Examples were obtained. Example 5-2 is an example obtained by HIP treatment of a sintered body in Example 5 at 2,000°C under 200 MPa (2,000 atm.) The thus obtained sintered bodies were mirror polished, and their denseness was evaluated by measuring relative densities based on a pore distribution. Further, strengths at room temperature and at high temperatures were measured at room temperature and 1,400°C by a four point bending test according to JIS R-1601 (fine ceramic bending strength testing method). Moreover, toughness was evaluated by determining K IC at room temperature according to Chevron Notch method, and W compounds were identified in the sintered bodies by the X ray diffraction test using a CuKα line. Results are shown in Table 3. As is evident from Table 3, Examples 1-10 meeting the composition range according to the present invention had higher density and more excellent strength at high temperatures as compared with Comparative Examples 1-6. Further, as compared with K IC (2-3) in conventional SiC containing no W₂B₅, Examples 1-10 exhibited higher K IC values and their toughness increase. Example 5-2 having undergone HIP treatment after firing had excellent properties in all respects. It was confirmed that the compound of W in the sintered body was W₂B₅ shown in JCPDS card No. 30-1358. A diffraction pattern of Example 4 in an X-ray diffraction test by using a CuKα line is shown in Fig. 2. By the chemical analysis of the sintered bodies, 0.01 to 0.06 wt% of inevitable metallic impurities (Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, etc.) contained in the SiC starting material and the additives was detected. Experiment 2 A boride other than W₂B₅, a carbide or an oxide of W, or W alone was added, instead of W₂B₅ as the indispensable ingredient in the present invention, to a SiC starting powder, which was milled and kneaded, and sintered bodies were obtained in the same process as in Experiment 1. Then, relative density of the sintered bodies and a compound of W were determined by the same methods as in Experiment 1. Results are shown in Table 4. As is evident from results in Table 4, in Comparative Examples 7-12 having other additive than W₂B₅, high relative density, i.e., densification of sintered bodies having a conventionally known amount of B (1 wt% added) could not be attained. Further, as is evident from Comparative Examples 13 and 14, even if an amount of B was increased but it was not converted to W₂B₅ in a sintered body, high relative density could not be attained, either. As is evident form Examples 11 and 12, when the amount of B was further increased and B was added more than 2.5 times in mole W (W: 50 wt%, B: 7.3 wt%), W₂B₅ was formed in the sintered body during the firing initial stage, so that densification was effected as in the case that W₂B₅ was added as shown in Example 1 of the captioned application. As is clear in the aforegoing, according to the SiC complex sintered bodies and the producing process thereof in the present invention, toughness which is poor for the B-C based SiC can be improved by incorporating a specified amount of W₂B₅ into the B-C based SiC while maintaining high temperature characteristics. Further, SiC complex sintered bodies having high strength at high temperatures and high toughness can be obtained. In Table 5 is shown by comparison characteristics of SiC complex sintered bodies according to the present invention and a prior art technique. SiC-W₂B₅ according to the invention Al based sintering assistant + SiC-W₂B₅ B-C based sintering assistant + SiC Al based sintering assistant + SiC High temperature characteristic good bad good bad Toughness good good bad good Mass productivity and producing cost good (pressureless sintering) bad (hot press) good (pressureless sintering) bad (hot press) Experiment 3 SiC powder having the average particle diameter of not more than 5 µm, MoB₂ as an additive, and B (metallic boron) and C (carbon black) as a sintering assistant were mixed together with isopropyl alcohol at a mixing recipe shown in Table 6 by a wet type ball mill. The mixture was dried and granulated, which was preliminarily molded and then hydrostatically pressed at 300 MPa (3 tons/cm²) to produce a square plate of 60×60×6 mm. The plate was heated up to 1,500°C in vacuum, and then fired at 2,200°C under 1 atm in argon atmosphere for 1 hour. In such a way, sintered bodies according to Examples of the present invention and Comparative Examples were obtained. Example 104-2 is a product obtained by HIP treatment of a sintered body in Example 104 at 2,000°C under 200 MPa (2,000 atms.) With respect to the thus obtained sintered bodies, denseness, strengths at room temperature and at high temperatures (1,500°C), and toughness were evaluated by the same methods as in Experiment 1. Further, a Mo compound in the sintered bodies was identified by an X ray diffraction method using CuKα. Results are shown in Table 6. As is evident from Table 6, Examples 101 to 110 satisfying the composition range according to the present invention had higher denseness and more excellent strength at high temperatures as compared with Comparative Examples 101 to 106, and had higher K IC values as compared with K IC (2-3) in the conventional case of SiC containing no MoB₂ as well as higher toughness. In Comparative Example 101 added with no MoB₂, abnormal grain growth of SiC was recognized, but no such abnormal grain growth was recognized in the other Examples. In addition, Example 104 having undergone the HIP treatment after the firing had more excellent characteristics in all the respects. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the Mo compound in the sintered bodies was MoB₂ indicated in JCPDS card No. 6-682. Fig. 3 shows an X ray diffraction pattern of Example 3 in Table 3 by using CuKα. As a result of the chemical analysis of the sintered bodies according to the present invention, 0.01 to 0.08 wt% of inevitable metallic impurities (Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, etc.) contained in the SiC starting material and the additives were detected. Experiment 4 Instead of MoB₂ as the indispensable ingredient of the present invention, a boride other than MoB₂, a carbide or an oxide of Mo, or Mo was added, followed by milling and mixing, and sintered bodies were obtained by the same method as in Experiment 3. Then, with respect to the thus obtained sintered bodies, relative density and a Mo compound were determined by the same methods as in Experiment 3. Results are shown in Table 7. As is evident from the results in Table 7, in the case of Comparative Examples 107 to 112 using an additive other than MoB₂, high relative density, i.e., densification of the sintered bodies could not be attained if B was contained in a conventionally known amount. Further, in Comparative Examples 13 and 14 having an increased amount of B, when B was not converted to MoB₂ in the sintered body, high relative density could not be attained. In the case of Examples 111 and 112 in which the amount of B was further increased up to an addition amount being more than two times in mole that of Mo (Mo: 30 wt%, B: 6.8 wt%), MoB₂ was formed in the molding during the firing initial stage, so that densification could be attained as in the case with Example 101 in which Mo was added in the form of MoB₂. As is evident from the aforegoing detailed explanation, according to the SiC complex sintered bodies and the producing process thereof in the present invention, by incorporating a specified amount of MoB₂ into the B-C based SiC, sintering can be effected at high temperatures and toughness which is poor in the B-C based SiC can be improved while strength at high temperatures is maintained. Further, SiC complex sintered bodies having high strength at high temperatures and high toughness can be obtained by pressureless sintering. In Table 8, characteristics of the SiC complex sintered bodies according to the present invention are shown in comparison with those of a prior art technique.

Claims: A pressureless sintered SiC complex sintered body consisting of 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 80 to 0.5 wt% of W₂B₅ or MoB₂, and 0.5 to 5 wt% of at least one material selected from boron, carbon, and boron carbide. A sintered body according to claim 1, consisting of 20 to 94.5 wt% of SiC, 70 to 5 wt% of W₂B₅ and 0.5 to 5 wt% of at least one material selected from B, C and B₄C. A sintered body according to claim 2 wherein SiC is present in an amount from 30 to 94.5 wt%. A sintered body according to claim 3, wherein SiC is present in an amount from 40 to 90 wt%. A sintered body according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein W₂B₅ is present in an amount of 60 to 10 wt%. A sintered body according to claim 1 consisting of 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 70 to 0.5 wt% of MoB₂, and 0.5 to 5 wt% of at least one material selected from B, C and B₄C. A sintered body according to claim 6, wherein MoB₂ is present in an amount from 60 to 0.5 wt%. A process for producing a pressureless sintered SiC complex sintered body comprising the steps of preparing a mixed powder consisting of (a) 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 80 to 0.5 wt%, when calculated as W₂B₅, of at least one of W₂B₅, W and a W₂B₅-forming compound, the average particle diameter of the Sic powder used as a starting material being not more than 5µm. (b) 0.1 to 5 wt%, when calculated as boron, of at least one of boron and a compound containing boron, or, in the case where W or a W₂B₅-forming compound is present, a sufficient amount of boron or boron-containing compound that all W in the sintered body is in the form of W₂B₅, and (c) 0.1 to 5 wt%, when calculated as carbon, of carbon or an organic compound producing carbon, molding the mixture, and firing the molding in a temperature range from 1,900 to 2,500°C in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere to form a sintered body in which all W is present in the form of W₂B₅. A producing process according to claim 8 further comprising the step of subjecting the SiC complex sintered body to a capsule HIP or a capsule-free HIP. A process for producing a pressureless sintered SiC complex sintered body comprising the steps of preparing a mixed powder consisting of (a) 20 to 99 wt% of SiC, 80 to 0.5 wt%, when calculated as MoB₂, of at least one of MoB₂, Mo and a MoB₂-forming compound, the average particle diameter of the Sic powder used as a starting material being not more than 5µm (b) 0.1 to 5 wt%, when calculated as boron, of at least one of boron or a compound containing boron, or, in the case where Mo or a MoB₂-forming compound is present, a sufficient amount of boron or boron-containing compound that all Mo in the sintered body is in the form of MoB₂, and (c) 0.1 to 5 wt%, when calculated as carbon, of carbon or an organic compound producing carbon, molding the mixture, and firing the molding in a temperature range from 1,900 to 2,500°C in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere to form a sintered body in which all Mo is present in the form of MoB₂. A producing process according to claim 10 further comprising the step of subjecting the SiC complex sintered body to a capsule HIP or a capsule-free HIP.

Inventors: KAWASAKI, SHINJI NGK ICHIOKA-RYO,38-2
Applicants: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: C04B35
IPC codes: C04B35