Polymer-derived micro-nano-structured Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/SiC-composites

Micro-nano-structured Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/SiC-composites were prepared by liquid phase sintering of either amorphous, polymer derived Si-C-N powder or SiC{sub 1+x} coated {alpha}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} powder, followed by gas pressure sintering. The obtained microstructures were investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). Nanosized SiC inclusions embedded in microcrystalline Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} grains were analyzed by elemental mapping with electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI).