Comparative Measurements of Mechanical Properties of α and β SiAIONS

SiAlONs are mostly taken for a low cost alternative for silicon nitride ceramics due to their simple processing. In spite of this, their properties in some aspects can be superior to the pure silicon nitride. SiAlON can be taken for silicon nitride with an extended lattice in which a part of the silicon is replaced by aluminium and a part of nitrogen by oxygen. α-SiAl0N is isostructural with α-Si3N4 and has the formula MexSi12−(m+n)Alm+nOnN(16−n) where Me is Li, Ca, Mg, Y and rare-earth elements except La, Ce, Pr, and Eu [1,2] and m = 3x where 3 represents the valence of the used Me atom. β-SiAl0N is isostructural with β-Si3N4 and has the formula Si6−zAlzOzN8−z