Method of manufacturing an object of silicon nitride

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an object of silicon nitride by isostatic pressing of a preformed body of silicon nitride powder utilizing a pressure medium at a temperature sufficiently high to sinter the silicon nitride. The preformed body is subjected to a degassing operation before isostatic pressing. An inner porous layer of a first material and then an outer porous layer of a second material are applied on the preformed powder body. The inner porous layer is transformable, at a temperature below the sintering temperature for silicon nitride, into a pressure medium impermeable layer. The outer porous layer is also transformable into a pressure medium impermeable layer, but at a temperature which is lower than the temperature when the inner porous layer is converted into its pressure medium impermeable form. Thus, the preformed body is first subjected to a degassing and to a heating to the temperature for transforming the outer porous layer into a pressure medium impermeable layer while the inner porous layer is maintained in a porous form. Thereafter the preformed body and the surrounding layers are heated further to the temperature for converting the inner porous layer into its pressure medium impermeable form while a pressure greater than the gas pressure inside the layers is maintained on the outside of the layers. The isostatic pressing of the preformed object is then carried out.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.