Abstract: A sintered silicon nitride-silicon carbide composite material is provided comprising a matrix phase of silicon nitride and silicon carbide where silicon carbide grains having an average diameter of not more than 1 .mu.m are present at grain boundaries of silicon nitride grains and silicon carbide grains having a diameter of several nanometers to several hundred nanometers, typically not more than about 0.5 micrometers, are dispersed within the silicon nitride grains and a dispersion phase where (a) silicon carbide grains having an average diameter of 2 to 50 .mu.m and/or (b) silicon carbide whiskers having a short axis of 0.05 to 10 .mu.m and an aspect ratio of 5 to 300 are dispersed in the matrix phase. A process for the production of the composite material is also provided.

Abstract: A MgO/SiC composite material in which SiC particles with nano-meter order in size are dispersed within MgO matrix grains can be prepared by hot-pressing the mixture of fine MgO and SiC powders. Addition of SiC particles in the range of 5 volume percent to 50 volume percent to the MgO matrix increased remarkably the fracture strength and the hardness in a nanometer-order structure of the composite.

Abstract: SiC-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 composite sintered bodies having high strength and toughness are constructed by dispersing SiC particle and SiC whisker into a matrix of Al.sub.2 Ohd 3 particles.

Abstract: SiC-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 composite sintered bodies having high strength and toughness are constructed by dispersing SiC particles essentially inside individual of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains constituting a material.

Abstract: An alumina-zirconia-silicon carbide sintered ceramic composite having high strength and high hardness is composed of 5 to 50 volume percent of partially stabilized zirconia powder of mean particle size between 0.1 and 1.0 .mu.m, 3 to 40 volume percent of silicon carbide powder of mean particle size smaller than 1 .mu.m or silicon carbide whiskers of 1 .mu.m or less in diameter with an aspect ratio between 3 and 200 or combination of said silicon carbide powder and said silicon carbide whiskers, the balance being substantially alumina powder, wherein zirconia plus silicon carbide accounts for 55 volume percent at most of the total.The sintered ceramic composite is manufactured by making a mixed powder composed of 5 to 50 volume percent of partially stabilized zirconia powder of mean particle size between 0.1 and 1.0 .mu.m, 3 to 40 volume percent of silicon carbide powder of mean particle size smaller than 1 .mu.m or silicon carbide whiskers of 1 .mu.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 5,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C. with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with a second pipe for the silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than the distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C. with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with a second pipe for the silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than the distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C. with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with the second pipe for silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than a distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C. with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with a second pipe for the silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than the distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C. with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with a second pipe for the silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than the distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.

Abstract: A super hard-highly pure silicon nitride includes a preferentially oriented crystalline silicon nitride having a grain size of 1-50 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,000 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, a finely grained crystalline silicon nitride having an average grain size of less than 1 .mu.m and a micro Vickers hardness of 3,500 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and an amorphous silicon nitride having a micro Vickers hardness of 2,200 kg/mm.sup.2 under a load of 100 g, and is produced by blowing a nitrogen depositing source and a silicon depositing source on a substrate heated at 500.degree.-1,900.degree. C with a blowpipe composed of a pipe assembly wherein a first pipe for the nitrogen depositing source is surrounded with a second pipe for the silicon depositing source and the distance from an opening end of the first pipe to the substrate is shorter than the distance from an opening end of the second pipe to the substrate.