@article{f996f982fc0d41c8b160b7563991ba26,
title = "Production of a grain boundary phase as conducting pathway in insulating AlN ceramics",
abstract = "We report that it is possible to render aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics electrically conductive without losing their intrinsic high thermal conductivity by precipitating a yttrium oxycarbide grain boundary phase, the volume of which is about 1/20 that of the conducting phase in conventional ceramic composites. The electrical conductivity can be controlled by varying the sintering conditions and additive composition. In addition, the electrically conductive AlN can be shaped by electric discharge machining and converted back into insulating AlN by anodic oxidation.",
keywords = "Electrical conductivity, Grain boundary junctions, Liquid phase sintering, Nitrides, Thermal conductivity",
author = "Takafumi Kusunose and Tohru Sekino and Koichi Niihara",
note = "Funding Information: The authors thank Mr. Hiroaki Yotoh (Department of Material Chemistry, Osaka University) for help with sample preparation, Dr. Hiroaki Matsumoto (Hitachi High-Tech Science Systems Corporation) for microchemical analysis ( Fig. 3 ) with a Hitachi HD 200 STEM with EDX, Dr. Hirohisa Okushima, Dr. Toshie Yaguchi and Dr. Haruko Masuya (Hitachi High-Tech Science Systems Corporation) for observations of the grain boundary phase ( Fig. 6 ) with a Hitachi HD 2300 STEM, Dr. Tsuyoshi Hamaguchi (Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, Osaka University) for help with anodic oxidation, and Itoh Seiko Co., Ltd. for EDM. This work was supported by Industrial Technology Research Grant Program in {\textquoteright}01 from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and research grant 2003 from The MAZDA Foundation.",
year = "2007",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1016/j.actamat.2007.07.025",
language = "English",
volume = "55",
pages = "6170--6175",
journal = "Acta Materialia",
issn = "1359-6454",
publisher = "Elsevier Limited",
number = "18",
}