Method of producing silicon nitride ceramic component

Abstract

A method of producing a silicon nitride ceramic component, comprising: grinding a silicon nitride sintered body comprising .alpha.--Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 having an average grain size of 0.5 .mu.m or smaller and .beta.'-sialon having an average grain size of 3 .mu.m or smaller in major axis and 1 .mu.m or smaller in minor axis into a predetermined size with a surface roughness of 1-7 .mu.m in ten-point mean roughness; heat treating the same at temperature range of 800.degree.-1200.degree. C. in the air; and standing it to allow to be cooled, whereby providing a residual stress in the ground surface before and after the heat treating as a residual compressive stress at a ratio of 1 or higher of the residual compressive stress after the heat treating to that before the heat treating (residual compressive stress after the heat treating/residual compressive stress before the heat treating), preferably 5 or more.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.