Transparent polycrystalline γ-AlON fabricated using a hybrid sintering process

This paper reports the properties of polycrystalline transparent gamma-AlON fabricated using a hybrid sintering process of hot pressing and pressureless sintering. The overall aim was to reduce the time taken for the two-step pressureless sintering process. Using Al2O3 and AlN as starting materials with 0.1 wt. % Pr2O3 added as a sintering additive, hot pressing was performed at 1500 degrees C under 20 MPa for 1, 2, and 3 hr followed by pressureless sintering at 1940 degrees C for 10 hr in an N-2 atmosphere. The effects of the hot pressing time and Pr2O3 addition on the phase evolution, microstructure, mechanical properties, and optical transmittance of gamma-AlON were examined. The gamma-AlON fabricated using a hybrid process showed >= 80% transmittance, highlighting the feasibility of this process. (C) 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study reports on the properties of polycrystalline transparent gamma-AlON fabricated using a hybrid sintering process, aiming to reduce the time taken for the pressureless sintering process. The gamma-AlON fabricated using this hybrid process showed high optical transmittance, proving the feasibility of the method.