Fracture toughness of Si3N4 ceramics with and without addition of TaSi2 particles, prepared by hot pressing at 1750 and 1650-1750, respectively, was determined. The fracture toughness increased sig nificantly with increasing TaSi2 content. The enhanced toughness by the addition of TaSi2 particles was inter preted to be due to the residual compressive stress resulting from the larger thermal expansion coefficient of TaSi2 than that of Si3N4.
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