CERAMIC COMPONENT AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME
A body including a first phase having silicon carbide, a second phase comprising a metal oxide, the second phase being a discrete intergranular phase located at the grain boundaries of the first phase, and the body has an average strength of at least 700 MPa.
1 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . A body comprising:
a first phase comprising silicon carbide;
a second phase comprising a metal oxide, wherein the second phase is a discrete intergranular phase located at the grain boundaries of the first phase; and
wherein the body comprises an average strength of at least 700 MPa.
17 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the body comprises at least 70 wt % and not greater than 99 wt % of the first phase for the total weight of the body, and wherein the first phase comprises alpha-phase silicon carbide.
18 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the first phase has an average grain size of not greater than 2 microns.
19 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the first phase comprises a maximum grain size of not greater than 10 microns.
20 . The body of claim 16 , wherein wherein the body comprises at least 1 wt % and not greater than 10 wt % of the second phase for the total weight of the body, and wherein the metal oxide of the second phase comprises aluminum and silicon.
21 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the body comprises an average strength of at least 700 MPa.
22 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the body comprises an average strength of at least 700 MPa and not greater than 1200 MPa.
23 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the second phase is a discrete intergranular phase located at the grain boundaries of the first phase, and wherein the body comprises a second phase count index of at least 1000.
24 . The body of claim 23 , wherein the second phase count index is at least 1100/100 microns of image width and not greater than 4000/100 microns of image width.
25 . The body of claim 23 , wherein the second phase average area index is at least 2500 pixels/100 microns of image width and not greater than 30000 pixels/100 microns of image width.
26 . The body of claim 23 , wherein the second phase average size index is at least 3.10 pixels 2 and not greater than 10.00 pixels 2 .
27 . The body of claim 23 , wherein the body comprises at least one of:
a second phase count index within a range of at least 1000/100 microns image width and not greater than 4000/100 microns image width;
a second phase average area index within a range of at least 2000 pixels/100 microns image width and not greater than 30000 pixels/100 microns image width;
a second phase average size index within a range of at least 3.00 pixels 2 and not greater than 10.00 pixels 2 ;
or any combination thereof.
28 . The body of claim 16 , wherein the body comprises an average wear value within a range including at least 0.0001 cc and not greater than 0.1 cc, and further wherein the body comprises an average fracture toughness at least 3.7 MPa m½ and not greater than 7 MPa m 1/2 , and further wherein the body comprises an average hardness (HV 0.1 kg ) of at least 20 GPa and not greater than 40 GPa.
29 . A body comprising:
a first phase comprising silicon carbide and having an average grain size of not greater than 2 microns;
a second phase comprising a metal oxide, wherein the second phase is a discrete intergranular phase located at the grain boundaries of the first phase; and
wherein the body comprises at least one of:
a second phase count index of at least 1000/100 microns image width;
a second phase average area index of at least 2000 pixels/100 microns image width;
a second phase average size index of at least 3.00 pixels 2 ;
or any combination thereof.
30 . The body of claim 29 , wherein the body comprises at least 70 wt % and not greater than 99 wt % of the first phase for the total weight of the body, and wherein the first phase comprises alpha-phase silicon carbide.
31 . The body of claim 29 , wherein the first phase has an average grain size of not greater than 2 microns.
32 . The body of claim 29 , wherein the first phase comprises a maximum grain size of not greater than 10 microns.
33 . The body of claim 29 , wherein wherein the body comprises at least 1 wt % and not greater than 10 wt % of the second phase for the total weight of the body, and wherein the metal oxide of the second phase comprises aluminum and silicon.
34 . The body of claim 29 , wherein the body comprises an average strength of at least 700 MPa.
35 . A method of forming a body comprising:
obtaining a blend of powder material comprising:
a first powder material comprising silicon carbide; and
a second powder material comprising a metal oxide; and
sintering the blend of powder material to form a body comprising:
a first phase comprising silicon carbide;
a second phase comprising a metal oxide, wherein the second phase is a discrete intergranular phase located at the grain boundaries of the first phase; and
wherein the body comprises an average strength of at least 700 MPa.