Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Lu2O3-Doped Porous Silicon Nitride Ceramics Using Phenolic Resin as Pore-Forming Agent

The joint process consisting of pressureless sintering and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) was developed to prepare porous Si3N4 ceramics with controlled microstructure. Lu2O3 and phenolic resin acted as sintering aid and pore-forming agent, respectively. The 5 wt% Lu2O3-doped ceramics using 12-57 vol% phenolic resin attained a porosity ranging from 46% to 53%. With increasing the resin content, the average pore size increased from 1 to 2 mu m. The porous ceramic infiltrated with CVI Si3N4 had an improved microstructure. The decreased pore size and porosity led to an increase in flexural strength, and the densified surface led to an improved surface hardness.