SiC and ZrN nano-particulate reinforced AlON composites: Preparation, mechanical properties and toughening mechanisms

Due to excellent chemical stability, high rigidity, superior corrosion and wear resistance, aluminum oxynitride (AlON) has been considered as one of most promising candidate ceramic materials in high-performance structural, advanced abrasives and refractory fields. However, it usually exhibited relatively low flexural strength and poor fracture toughness. The study is aimed to develop silicon carbide (SiC) and zirconium nitride (ZrN) nano-particulate reinforced AlON composites with improved mechanical properties and fracture resistance via a hot-press sintering process. It was found that the addition of ZrO2 nanoparticles would be transformed into ZrN during sintering. Due to the pinning effect of SiC and ZrN nano-particles positioned at grain boundaries of micro-sized AlON particles, the presence of SiC and ZrN nano-particles resulted in the reduction of both porosity and grain size, and a change of fracture mode from intergranular cracking in AlON to intragranular cracking in composites. With presence of 8 wt% SiC and 5.2 wt% ZrN nano-particles, the relative density, microhardness, Young's modulus, flexural strength and fracture toughness increased. Different toughening mechanisms including crack bridging, crack branching and crack deflection were observed, thus effectively increasing the crack propagation resistance and leading to a considerable improvement in flexural strength and fracture toughness. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.