Effect of β-Si₃N₄ Powder on Thermal Conductivity of Silicon Nitride Ceramics

To investigate the influence of β-Si3N4 powder on thermal conductivity of silicon nitride, coarse, fine β-Si3N4 powder and various β-Si3N4/α-Si3N4 ratios of starting powders were adopted to fabricate ceramics by spark plasma sintering at 1600°Cand subsequent high-temperature heat treatment at 1900°C with the sintering additives of Y2O3 and MgO. It is found that with more fine β-Si3N4 powder in the starting powder, β-Si3N4 grains exhibit high thermal conductivity, which is partly resulted from the compaction of β-Si3N4 grains.