Porous Silicon Nitride Ceramics Prepared by Reduction – Nitridation of Diatomite

In this paper, porous Si3N4 ceramics were fabricated by carbothermal reduction between carbon black and diatomite. Diatomite is a siliceous, sedimentary rock consisting principally of the fossilized skeletal remains of diatom, a unicellular aquatic plant related to the algae. The main ingredient of diatomite is the amorphous active silicon dioxide. The influence of diatomite particle size on the microstructure of sintering bodies was analyzed. XRD analysis demonstrated the formation of Si3N4 except for minor of glass phase. SEM analysis showed that the resultant porous β-Si3N4 ceramics occupied fine microstructure and uniform pore structure.