Silicon carbide whisker-reinforced ceramic tape for high-power components

An attempt to enhance both mechanical strength and thermal conductivity of glass-based tapes is described. Flexural strength of ∼420 MPa and thermal conductivity of ∼10.3 W/m/K have been achieved in fully densified tape comprising calcium aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminum nitride, and silicon carbide whiskers. Silicon carbide whiskers aligned parallel to the casting direction contributed significantly to the reinforcement of the microstructure with accompanying extensive densification over a broad temperature range. These results are compared with the more typical alumina filler substituted for the aluminum nitride.