Effect of SiC whisker addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of silicon carbide

powder with or without the addition of 1-3 wt% of whiskers (seeds) was hot-pressed at for 1 h using and as sintering aids. The hot-pressed materials were subsequently annealed at to enhance grain growth. The introduction of whiskers into does not affect the microstructure as well as mechanical properties significantly because the whiskers are not viable in the presence of liquid phase during hot-pressing. The strengths and fracture toughnesses of the hot-pressed and subsequently 5 h-annealed materials with 1 wt% whiskers and without whiskers were 465 MPa and 5.8 MPaㆍ, and 451 MPa and 5.5 MPaㆍ, respectively.