Machining / Grinding Silicon Nitride Ceramics

CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC has years of experience manufacturing micron level tolerance products from Silicon Nitride ceramics. We leverage our in-depth dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, and polishing capability to manufacture the highest quality Silicon Nitride products.

Whether you need prototypes or volume production, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC is here to help. Please contact us to discuss your applications.

About Silicon Nitride Ceramics

Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) is a relatively costly, high-temperature, structural ceramic used where heat resistance, hardness, and strength are a premium. It is very hard, and therefore can be used in high wear applications or applications requiring a fine surface polish. Silicon Nitride is fabricated using either sintering, reaction bonding, hot pressing, or hot isostatic pressing. The material properties resulting from these processes vary considerably.

Silicon Nitride Applications

  • High speed cutting tools
  • Automotive valves and cam followers
  • Turbine blades

Silicon Nitride Properties

Units

Silicon Nitride
(Sintered)

Silicon Nitride
(Reaction Bonded)

Silicon Nitride
(Hot Pressed)

Silicon Nitride
(Hot Isostatic  Pressed)
Max Use Temperature
(No Load)		 C 1000 - 1300 1150 - 1500 1000 - 1650  1300 - 1400
Thermal Shock (Quenching) C 600 370 - 750 750
Thermal Conductivity W/(m K) 15 - 40 4.0 - 30.0 15 - 43 15 - 50
Specific Heat  J/(K kg) 660 - 900 660  - 1100 680 - 800 700  - 850
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 1/C (x10e-6) 2.5 - 3.5 2.1 - 3.3 2.6 - 3.3 3.1 - 3.3
Color Black/Dark Grey Black/Dark Gray Black/Dark Gray Black/Dark Gray
Moh Hardness
Vickers Hardness kg/mm^2 410 - 1835 800 - 1100 1425 - 1630 1490
Knoop Hardness kg/mm^2 1450
Density g/cm^3 3.0 - 3.3 1.9 - 2.7 3.1 - 3.4 3.2 - 3.3
Porosity % of nominal 0 - 20 0 - 23 0 0
Compressive Strength Mpa 2000 - 3800 550 - 650 2000 - 3500
Tensile Strength Mpa 160 - 295 400 - 580 408
Flexural Strength MPa 300 - 1200 80 -880 300 - 1000 600 - 1200
Fracture Toughness MPa m^1/2 5.0  - 8.5 1.5 - 6.5 4.1 - 8.5 2.7 - 8.5
Young's Modulus GPa 250 - 330 80 - 300 280 - 320 290 - 330
Poisson's ratio 0.24 - 0.28 0.2 - 28 0.27 - 0.3 0.23
Dielectric Strength kv/cm 10
Dielectric Constant (@1MHz) 8 10 7.2 - 10
Dielectric Loss Tangent 0.002 0.001 - 0.002 0.001 0.002
Resistivity ohm cm 10^11 - 10^15 10^10 - 10^15 >10^12 - 10^15 >10^13 - 10^15
The information provided in this table is for room temperature only, and is a compilation of publicly available data.  This information is provided for comparison purposes only, and is not intended to be warrantable.   Further, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC disclaims any and all liability from errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

 

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your Silicon Nitride dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, polishing or any other machining applications.