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The mechanical properties and microstructure formation processes in Si3N4+3% AI2O3+5% Y2O3(Yb2O3) ceramic compacts sintered under microwave heating (MWH) and under traditional heating (TH) were investigated. The initial ceramic materials were powder blends of silicon nitride with oxides. The mean powder particle sizes were 0.5-1.0 mim. The content of alfa-phase in the Si3N4 powder was more than 95 %. The samples were sintered at 1800BC in nitrogen at normal pressure, the heating rate in all experiments was 60BC/min. The Vickers hardness (HV), fracture toughness (K1C) and bending strength (on) were determined. The microstructures of fracture surfaces of samples were studied by SEM. Quantitative microstructure analysis was carried out. It was shown that the values of HV and Kic of ceramic samples sintered under MWH at 1800BC rose steadily with the sintering time. This caused an increase in density, which reached maximum as fast as after 30 min of the MWH sintering; the mass loss at that time amounted to 3-4 %. The porosity of sintered samples with an addition of yttria was less than 1 %, that of ytterbia was greater, 2.4 %. For similar values of relative density, the hardness and fracture toughness of ceramic samples produced under MWH were higher as compared with those of samples sintered under TH. The microstructure of samples had the form of elongated grains in a matrix of polyhedral grains of the beta-Si3N4 phase. Measurements showed the mean size of grains in samples produced by MWH to be greater that in samples produced by TH. A larger number of elongated grains were formed. It was concluded that for sintering under MWH of Si3N4-based ceramics the growth of elongated beta-Si3N4 grains and formation of a "reinforced" microstructure were promoted and thereby improved the mechanical properties of such ceramics

Compositions with minimal Gibbs free energy for single-and multi-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs) containing Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, Cu, Al, Mn, Ti, Zr, V elements are developed using a developed thermodynamic approach. The phase compositions for some equiatomic HEAs are predicted and the influence of various factors on its formation are described. A correlation between theoretical and experimental data is obtained. Criteria for search of HEAs compositions favourable for formation of single-phase and multi-phase solid solutions are formulated.