Silicon Nitride Materials for Gas Turbine Components

This paper deals with the use of silicon nitride for gas turbine components. Brief descriptions are given of the various process routes used and which components in a gas turbine could be made by such processes. Serious consideration is given to the question of design using a brittle material. The lack of a standardized test procedure for mechanical properties results in difficulty in presenting data in an absolute manner. Properties of interest are discussed and presented in such a way as to enable a designer to have a better initial understanding of the material and its potential in gas turbines.