Abstract
The aim of this work is to show the way of manufacturing the SiC mechanical seal at the low temperature of 130$0^{\circ}C$ using clay and frit as source of secondary phase. $\alpha$-SiC and $\beta$-SiC powder which showed different distribution of particle were used as starting materials, i.e. average particle size of $\alpha$-SiC was larger than that of $\beta$-SiC. The mechanical and tribological properties of two groups of specimen, i.e. one contained mainly larger $\alpha$-SiC powder and the other mainly fine particle $\beta$-SiC, were measured. The specimen consisted of larger $\alpha$-SiC exhibited lower density flexural strength and wear resistance is comparison with these of sample containning mainly $\beta$-SiC . This difference could be originated from the dependence of capillary force on the particle size. For the larger SiC particle, the liquid phase may not fill the whole pores during sintering, due to low capillary force, whereas the liquid phase can infiltrate into the small ores surrounded small $\beta$-SiC particle. Thus, the course of high flexural strength and high wear resistance of specimen prepared using small particles can be explaced from the easy infiltration of liquid phase.
