Thermal conductivity and mechanical strength of low-temperature-sintered aluminum nitride ceramics containing aluminum nitride whiskers

Abstract

We successfully fabricated dense aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics containing AlN whiskers by low-temperature pressureless sintering and evaluated their microstructures, thermal conductivities, and mechanical strengths. Furthermore, the anisotropy of thermal conductivities caused by the orientation of AlN whiskers was also evaluated. The thermal conductivities of the samples measured in parallel and perpendicular to the longer direction of AlN whiskers were 98 and 67 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The bending strengths of the samples without and with AlN whiskers were 147 and 235 MPa, respectively. From the observation of the fracture surface of the samples, AlN whiskers in the samples probably withstand the fracture originating from weak grain boundaries.