Tananya Vongthavorn. Effects of metals on the nitridation of silicon and mechanical properties of silicon nitride products. Master's Degree(Chemical Engineering). Chulalongkorn University. Office of Academic Resources. : Chulalongkorn University, 2003.
Effects of metals on the nitridation of silicon and mechanical properties of silicon nitride products
Abstract:
The direct nitridation of silicon has been recognized as one of the methods for mass-production of silicon nitride. Although this process is considered low-cost, the product obtained usually contains only approximately 92% of desired phase of silicon nitride, alpha-phase, which is considered as moderately low value. In this study, catalytic effects of common elements, which are employed in the process of sintering silicon nitride, on the direct nitridation of silicon were investigated. Silicon granules impregnated with 0.125-2.0% by mass of calcium, cerium, lutetium, magnesium, ytterbium or yttrium were nitrided in a tubular flow reactor operated at temperature in the range of 1300-1390 degree celsius for 3 hours. Significant enhancement in selectivity of alpha-silicon nitride formation is observed when calcium, ytterbium or yttrium is incorporated with the nitridation using a stepwised increase in temperature from 1300 degree celsius to 1390 degree celsius. The silicon nitride product from the nitridation of 0.125% calcium impregnated silicon can achieve the overall conversion and the fraction of alpha-phase towards 100%, while 1% ytterbium or 2% yttrium addition can reach the overall conversion as well as the a-phase content over 97%. It is also found that a stepwised increase in temperature operation can accelerate the overall conversion of the nitridation toward 100% while maintaining high content of a-silicon nitride. Moreover, 2% magnesium addition also enhances the nitridation if the reaction temperature is 1390 degree celsius. Besides the investigation of catalytic effects of metals, the effects of their residual on the microstructure and the physical as well as the mechanical properties of silicon nitride articles were also investigated. The silicon nitride powders from the best condition of each metal were selected to fabricate into the specimen and sintered in furnace at 1750 degree celsius for 2 hours under N[subscript 2] pressure of 1 MPa. It is found that residual metal contained in silicon nitride powder slightly affects the properties of silicon nitride articles. However, the physical and mechanical properties of silicon nitride article obtained still in the acceptable range for many applications.