Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A process for making a sintered silicon nitride body, comprising the steps of: i. molding a first composition comprising silicon nitride and a sintering aid into a predetermined shape to form a green molded body; ii. coating the green molded body obtained in step (i) with a slurry of a second composition comprising silicon nitride and a sintering aid, the sintering temperature of said second composition being 40° C. to 200° C. lower than that of the first composition; iii. after step (ii), preliminarily sintering the coated molded body in an inert atmosphere at a temperature such that only the coating of the second composition is densified but the molded green body composed of the first composition is not densified; and iv. after step (iii), subjecting the preliminarily sintered body to hot isostatic pressing in an inert atmosphere under temperature and pressure conditions which densify the molded body composed of the first composition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A process for making a sintered silicon nitride body, comprising the steps of: i. molding a first composition comprising silicon nitride and a sintering aid into a predetermined shape to form a green molded body; ii. coating the green molded body obtained in step (i) with a slurry of a second composition comprising silicon nitride and a sintering aid, the sintering temperature of said second composition being 40° C. to 200° C. lower than that of the first composition; iii. after step (ii), preliminarily sintering the coated molded body in an inert atmosphere at a temperature such that only the coating of the second composition is densified but the molded green body composed of the first composition is not densified; and iv. after step (iii), subjecting the preliminarily sintered body to hot isostatic pressing in an inert atmosphere under temperature and pressure conditions which densify the molded body composed of the first composition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the second composition contains the sintering aid in an amount which is 5 to 20 percent by weight of the entire second composition and at least 3 percent by weight more than the percent of sintering aid in the first composition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the sintering aid is selected from the group consisting of oxides and nitrides of elements of Group IIIa of the periodic table, alumina, aluminum nitride, titania, titanium nitride, chromium oxide, beryllia and magnesia.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the slurry of the second composition has a solids concentration of 50 to 80 percent by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the coating of the second composition is present in an amount of 0.01 to 0.5 part by weight per part by weight of the green molded body of the first composition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the preliminary sintering is carried out at a temperature in the range of 1500° to 1800° C., said temperature being at least as high as the sintering temperature of the second composition but lower than the sintering temperature of the first composition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the preliminary sintering step is conducted for 0.5 to 5 hours.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the hot isostatic pressing step is conducted under a pressure of 1500 to 2000 atmosheres (gauge) and at a temperature in the range of 1500° to 2000° C., said temperature being at least as high as the sintering temperature of the first composition.