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Monolithic α-SiC particles and in situ β-Si3N4-reinforced barium aluminosilicate (BAS) glass ceramic matrix composites with good mechanical properties were obtained by spark plasma sintering. However, attempts at the synthesis of ternary phase composites in order to maximize the reinforcing effects by co-adding α-SiC and β-Si3N4 were only partly successful. β-Si3N4 grain growth was remarkably hindered by the coexistent α-SiC, thus the resultant composite suffered a loss of reinforcement efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Textured hexagonal boron nitride (BN) composite ceramics with mullite as sintered additive were fabricated by hot-press sintering under different pressures. The degrees of texture and the microstructures of these materials were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, pole figures and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the hexagonal BN composite ceramics have obvious directional orientation. The preferred orientation of the c-axis of hexagonal BN grains was along the direction of pressure, and the sintering pressure influences texture formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]