Abstract: Described are sintered silicon nitride bodies useful as materials for parts required to have strength, especially excellent impact strength for items such as automobile parts and machine parts. The sintered Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 bodies contain 80-98 wt. % of silicon nitride and have a porosity not higher than 3% and an shock compressive elasticity limit of at least 15 GPa.

Abstract: A high-strength silicon nitride sintered body having a flexural strength of 100 kg/mm.sup.2 or higher and a process for producing the same are disclosed, the sintered body comprising not less than 90% by weight of a single crystalline phase of silicon aluminum oxynitride (Si.sub.6-z Al.sub.2 O.sub.z N.sub.8-z, wherein z is a number of from 0 to 4.2) having an average longer diameter of not more than 5 .mu.

Abstract: An industrially feasible method of grinding silicon nitride ceramics, is disclosed and provides a sufficiently smooth surface. Namely, the surface has a maximum height-roughness Rmax of 0.1 microns or less and a ten-point mean roughness Rz of 0.05 microns. Further, with this method, surface damage can be repaired while grinding. The vertical cutting feed rate of a grinding wheel into a workpiece should be within the range of 0.005-0.1 micron for each rotation of the working surface of the wheel and change linearly or stepwise. The cutting speed of the grinding wheel in a horizontal (rotational) direction should be within the range of 25 to 75 m/sec. With this arrangement, the contact pressure and grinding heat that is generated between the workpiece and the hard abrasive grains during grinding are combined. In other words, mechanical and thermal actions are combined.

Abstract: A composite bearing structure can withstand high speed rotation has first, second and third bearing components. The first bearing component supports a radial impact force applied to a rotator during rotation, and is made of an inner ring (1) and an outer ring (2) of silicon nitride ceramic sintered bodies. The second bearing component supports an axial load applied to the rotator while maintaining a required clearance between itself and the rotator and is made of two permanent magnets (12, 13) positioned thrustdirectionally opposite to each other. The third bearing component maintains a radial rotational accuracy of the rotator, and is made of a radial dynamic pressure producing groove (5) provided on a cylindrical surface of the inner ring (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon nitride sintered body [wherein the composition of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 -first aid (Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 +MgO)-second aid (at least one of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and AlN)] falls within a range defined by lines joining points A, B, C and D in FIG. 1, the crystal phase of the sintered body contains both .alpha.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 and .beta.'-sialon, and the relative density is 98% or more. This sintered body is produced by subjecting a green compact of the above-described source to primary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere at 1300 to 1700.degree. C. so that the relative density reaches 96% or more, and the precipitation ratio of the .alpha.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 crystal phases to the .beta.'-sialon crystal phase in the sintered body is in the range of from 40:60 to 80:20; and then subjecting the primary sintered body to secondary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere at 1300 to 1700.degree. C. so that the relative density reaches 98% or more.

Abstract: A high-strength silicon nitride sintered body having a flexural strength of 100 kg/mm.sup.2 or higher and a process for producing the same are disclosed, the sintered body comprising not less than 90% by weight of a single crystalline phase of silicon aluminum oxynitride (Si.sub.6-z Al.sub.2 O.sub.z N.sub.8-z, wherein z is a number of from 0 to 4.2) having an average longer diameter of not more than 5 .mu.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the production of a sintered article which comprises steps ofshaping a raw material powder comprising silicon nitride,thermally treating a shaped article in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of 1300.degree. to 1650.degree. C. for at least 2 hours to form .beta.-silicon nitride of not less than 85% calculated from X-ray diffraction patterns and to increase a relative density of the article to not less than 80%, preferably to 80 to 85 %, andsintering the thermally treated article at a temperature of 1700.degree. to 2000.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon nitride sintered body [wherein the composition of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 -first aid (Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 +MgO)-second aid (at least one of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and AlN)] falls within a range defined by lines joining points A, B, C and D in FIG. 1, the crystal phase of the sintered body contains both .alpha.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 and .beta.'-sialon, and the relative density is 98% or more. This sintered body is produced by subjecting a green compact of the above-described source to primary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere at 1300.degree. to 1700.degree. C. so that the relative density reaches 96% or more, and the precipitation ratio of the .alpha.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 crystal phases to the .beta.'-sialon crystal phase in the sintered body is in the range of from 40:60 to 80:20; and then subjecting the primary sintered body to secondary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere at 1300.degree. to 1700.degree. C. so that the relative density reaches 98% or more.

Abstract: Disclosed is a silicon nitride sintered body produced by subjecting a green compact of a mixed powder composed of 1) a silicon nitride powder having a percentage .alpha. crystallization of 93% or more and a mean grain diameter of 0.7 .mu.m or less and 2) 5 to 15% by weight in total of a first sintering aid selected from among rare earth element, yttrium oxide and lanthanide oxides and a second sintering aid consisting of aluminum oxide or nitride and at least one selected from among oxides and nitrides of Mg, Ca and Li, to primary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere under a pressure of 1.1 atm or less at 1500.degree. to 1700.degree. C.; and subjecting the sintered body to secondary sintering in a nitrogen gas atmosphere under a pressure of 10 atm or more at the primary sintering temperature or below, thereby giving a sintered body wherein the relative density of the sintered body is 99% or more and the precipitation ratio of an .alpha.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 (including .beta.