Abstract
Properties of highly grain aligned porous silicon nitride were studied. The silicon nitride was synthesized from seed crystals or whiskers via tape casting. Fracture testing and observation of the microstructures were performed. Effects of the porosity on the mechanical properties of anisotropic silicon nitride in both direction parallel to and perpendicular to the grains alignment were investigated and discussed. The relationship between the properties of the product and the processing conditions was also studied. Research supported by METI, Japan, under the Synergy Ceramics Project.