Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Siliziumnitridkeramik

Silicon nitride sintered bodies are mainly used in mechanical engineering. They are specially suitable for wear parts or as cutting ceramics. These known materials have relatively low strength, low fracture toughness and low hardness. The silicon nitride ceramic according to the invention contains >= 5 percent Ti nitride or Ti carbon nitride grains, the cores of which have a diameter of <= 2 microns. These ceramics can be produced according to the invention by using 95-0 percent Ti nitride or Ti carbon nitride and 5-100 percent TiH<-2 for two different sintering programmes, or by using Ti nitride or Ti carbon nitride as a finely dispersed powder with an average grain size of <= 1.5 microns.