Shock-induced transformation of β-Si3N4 to a high-pressure cubic-spinel phase

beta-Si3N4 powders were shock compressed and quenched from 12 to 115 GPa. beta-Si3N4 transforms to the spinel-type Si3N4 (c-Si3N4) by a fast reconstructive process at pressures above about 20 GPa. The yield of c-Si3N4 recovered from 50 GPa and about 2400 K reaches about 80% and the grain sizes are about 10-50 nm. It is proposed that the fast transformation to c-Si3N4 occurs by rearrangement of nitrogen stacking layers, which initiates partial breakup of the SiN4 tetrahedra and formation of SiN6 octahedra at high density. Because of the advantages of massive production and the nanometer characteristics of shock-synthesized c-Si3N4, it is possible to investigate the mechanical properties experimentally and to develop new industrial applications. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)02025-8].