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Nitride

Silicon nitride (Si3N4)

This material offers a hitherto unattainable combination of outstanding properties:

  • extremly high strength
  • very high toughness
  • excellent wear resistance
  • very low thermal expansion
  • high thermal conductivity
  • outstanding thermal shock resistance
  • very good chemical resistance

The sintering process of silicon nitride has to take place by a very high mechanical pressure in a controlled atmosphere. Depending on the process the result is:

  • sintered silicon nitride (SSN)
  • gas pressure sintered silicon nitride (GPSSN) or
  • hot-pressed silicon nitride (HPSN)

RIn comparison reaction bonded nitride (RBSN) - starting substance Si-powder - is nitrided shrink free in a specifically set N2-atmosphere.

Silicon Aluminium Oxynitride (SIALON)

It is mainly based on compounds or solid solutions of a four-component system silicon - aluminium - oxygen - nitrogen. On account of its fracture toughness it is often used for

  • cutting tools. Due to the low wettability through non ferrous metals, SIALON is a standard material for
  • thermocouple protection tubes.

Aluminium Nitride (ALN)

An irresistible material due to its extraordinary high thermal conductivity: up to 180 Wm-1 K-1. Moreover the combination of properties speak for themselves:

  • best thermal conductivity
  • high electrical insulation
  • thermal expansion similar to Si (‹Al2O3)
  • inert behaviour towards melting of the III-V-compounds
  • high rigidity.

ALN is especially suitable as

  • substrat for semi-conducting components and
  • power electronic modules.

 

Further, more detailed information to this in the Breviary

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