To help the European industry to master ultrafine structures in materials to meet emerging new properties, nanosized ceramic powders are being produced as a starting raw material leading to solid parts presenting a very fine cristallized structure. The following results have been attained:
preparation in a laser reactor of silicon/carbon/nitrogen nanopowder from hexamethyldisilzane precursor (productivity is 100 g/h);
preparation of silicon carbide/silicon nitride (Si3N4) composites with different carbon/nitrogen ratios by annealing them at 1600 C;
preparation in a 9-11 microns tunable laser reactor of silicon/carbon/oxygen nanopowder from hexametyldisiloxane precursor (productivity is 50 g/h) preparation of pure silicon carbide through annealing and carbo reduction of oxygen;
know how on alloying the nanopowders at a precursor state with sintering aids;
know how on dispersion of nanopowders in aqueous or organic medium;
know how on pelletization of nanopowders into soft agglomerated granules;
know how on processing and sintering of silicon carbide and silicon/carbon/nitrogen nanopowders.