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ACM - Model Si3N4 -Silicon Nitride Ceramics
Silicon Nitride is a high-melting-point ceramic material that is extremely hard and relatively chemically inert. The material is prepared by heating powdered silicon between 1300 °C and 1400 °C in an atmosphere of nitrogen. Then the powder of silicon nitride can be sintered to designed shape.
As it is one of the most thermodynamically stable technical ceramic material with high hardness as well, silicon nitride ceramic is ideal for bearing parts, especially for those required to work at high speed and high temperature. Si3N4 bearing balls have already been applied in automobiles, rockets high speed engines, equipment working in corrosive environment and some performance model cars. Compared with steel, high performance ceramic balls have better mechanical properties under high temperature and could survive from most of corrosive chemicals.
Silicon nitride has also been used in high-temperature applications, such as rocket engines. It was considered as one of the few monolithic ceramic materials that could survive the severe thermal shock and thermal gradients generated in hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines.
Silicon Nitride ceramic is ideal for bearing parts. Si3N4 bearing balls have already been applied in automobiles, rockets high-speed engines, equipment working in a corrosive environment and some performance model cars. Compared with steel, high-performance ceramic balls have better mechanical properties under high temperature and could survive from most the corrosive chemicals. As the price of ceramic materials decreased, it could have more applications.