Microstructure and material properties of SiC-TiB/sub 2/ particulate composites

The effects of TiB/sub 2/ addition to ..cap alpha..-SiC on mechanical, thermal, and electrical behavior were determined. The reliability of ceramics for structural applications is, in general, limited by variability in mechanical strength and low toughness. Property variability is normally attributed to processing- or microstructure-related flaws. Examples of microstructural flaws are exaggerated grain growth, voids and inclusions, while processing-related flaws can include impurities and nonuniform sintered material densification. These flaws can exert significant influence on nominal mechanical properties and their associated time-dependent behavior.