Si3N4/TiCnanocompositeceramicshavebeenfabricatedbyhotpressingtechniquewithAl2O3andY2O3asadditives.TheresultsshowedthatwelldispersedcompositepowderwascarriedoutbyaddingdispersantandadjustingpHvaluesofsuspensions.RemarkableincreaseinflexuralstrengthatroomtemperatureswasobtainedbyaddingnanoparticlesinSi3N4matrixwith10%(wtpct)ofnano-Si3N4and15%ofnano-TiC.Theflexuralstrength,fracturetoughnessandhardnesswere1025MPa,7.5MPa·1/2and15.6GPa,respectively.Themicrostructuresofmaterialswereanalyzedbyscanningelectronmicroscopy(SEM)andtransmissionelectronmicroscopy(TEM),whichindicatedthatTiCnanoparticlesdistributeinthematrixandatthegrainboundaries.Accordingtothefractureform,lowcontentsofnanoparticlescouldrefinematrixgrainsandleadtothecrackdeflectionaswellascrackpinning.Themultiplexmicrostructurewasformedbymixingnano-Si3N4particles.Thecracktrajectoriesexhibitedcrackdeflection,rod-likegrainbridgingandpull-out.
