Si₃N₄–TiN–Y₂O₃ ceramics derived from chemically modified perhydropolysilazane

[Si–Y–Ti–O–C–N] multicomponent powders were synthesized by pyrolysis at 1000 °C, in NH₃ flow, of chemically modified perhydropolysilazane using yttrium triisopropoxide and titanium tetrachloride. [Si–Y–Ti–O–C–N] powders yielded uniform and fine-grained Si₃N₄–TiN–Y₂O₃ ceramics by heat treatment at 1800 °C in N₂. The fully densified Si₃N₄–TiN–Y₂O₃ ceramics were also synthesized by heat treatment at 1800 °C, followed by powder-vehicle hot pressing at 1800 °C in N₂. The resulting ceramics revealed that TiN was dispersed as particles having a size range of about 60–600 nm and the fine particles less than 80 nm were dispersed within the β–Si₃N₄ matrix grains.