Production of Submicron Spherical Ceramic Particles

高纯度、亚微米、球形、高比表面积的共价陶瓷颗粒是获得高密度材料的关键，这些材料在高温下表现出高强度和抗蠕变性能。目前可用的共价陶瓷颗粒，导致高温强度和抗蠕变性能较差。该计划将研究一种简单的工艺，该工艺将生产化学计量比的高纯度、亚微米、球形陶瓷颗粒，具有非常高的表面积，这将允许共价结合陶瓷的自烧结。颗粒合成过程包括将高纯度硅蒸发到氮气或甲烷等离子体中，以产生Si3N4或碳化硅颗粒。将对烧结陶瓷的性能进行评估。预计以大量节省的成本生产的烧结颗粒将取代现有材料，并扩大汽车、航空航天、所有发动机转换、磨损和刀具的市场。

High purity, submicron, spherical, high surface area particles of covalent ceramics are key to achieving high density materials, which exhibit high strength and creep resistance at high temperatures. Currently available covalent ceramic particles, lead to poor high temperature strength and creep resistance. This program will investigate a simple process that will produce stoichiometric high purity, submicron, spherical ceramic particles with a very high surface area which will allow for self sintering of covalently bonded ceramics. The particle synthesis process consists in evaporating high purity silicon into a plasma of nitrogen or methane to produce Si3N4 or SiC particles. The properties of the sintered ceramic will be assessed. It is expected that the sintered particles, produced at substantial savings, will replace existing materials and expand the market in automotive, aerospace, all engines conversion, wear and cutting tools.