Dielectric properties in GHz range of porous Si3N4–BN–SiO2ceramics with considerable flexural strength prepared by low temperature sintering in air

Porous Si3N4–BN–SiO2 ceramics with ultimate apparent porosities between 0·140 and 0·799 were fabricated in air at 1100°C by partial sintering using core starch as both consolidator and pore former in the green bodies. The pores were derived from burning off the starch, the partial oxidation of silicon nitride and the stack of particles of the start materials. Effect of retaining time on the microstructure of sintering bodies was analysed by SEM analysis. Reference intensity ratio (RIR) technique based on the X-ray diffractometry results demonstrated the phase components content of sintered bodies. Influence of porosity on the flexural strength of porous Si3N4–BN–SiO2 ceramics was investigated. The ceramic with a porosity of 0·140 attained a maximal flexural strength of 60±4·11 MPa. In addition, the dielectric constants and loss tangents were presented for porous Si3N4–BN–SiO2 triphase ceramics in the frequency range of 18–40 GHz, and the real part of dielectric constant of the materials reached as low as 2·67 at the porosity of 0·732 at a frequency of 20 GHz.