The Centre for Non-Oxide Ceramics is engaged in the development of process technologies for various non-oxide ceramics. Advanced non-oxide ceramics constitute an emerging class of materials with considerable potential to address a very broad base of current and potential applications. These ceramics span an ever-growing list of material compositions, which include carbides, nitrides, borides and silicides. Among them, the most promising materials include silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, titanium diboride, boron nitride and boron carbide. ARCI is vigorously pursuing R&D activities in the area of engineered non-oxide ceramics and its composites for a wide range of applications. The emphasis is on indigenous development of high value products for niche market applications through adoption of cost effective process routes. This Centre has successfully developed technologies for a range of products, such as reaction bonded and pressure-less sintered silicon carbide for mechanical seals and wear parts, titanium silicon carbide composites for wear resistance applications, and silicon nitride and SiAlON materials for diverse requirements demanding low dielectric constant properties. Large diameter CVD coated SiC parts are also being used for many applications due to their relatively low thermal expansion coefficient and excellent thermal conductivity. Since there is no facility available in the country for making large diameter CVD coated SiC parts, this Centre has taken the initiative to establish suitable infrastructure for this purpose. The Centre has initiated R&D activities on SiC based ceramic foams for various applications like high temperature insulations, molten metal and industrial hot gas filtration, catalyst substrates etc.

Chemical vapor deposition system for SiC coating