Mechanical properties of ceramics based on (Cu1–xAgx)7SiS5I solid solutions

Abstract

(Cu1􀀀xAgx)7SiS5I-based ceramics were prepared by pressing and sintering from the micro- and nanopowders. The ceramic samples were investigated using microstructural analysis. The microhardness was measured using the method of pressing the Vickers pyramid. It has been shown that the microhardness of (Cu1􀀀xAgx)7SiS5I-based ceramics essentially less ( 50%) than that of the single crystals, but the tendency to the microhardness decrease with a decrease of the copper content at the Cu+ !Ag+ cationic substitution is observed both for single crystals and ceramics. With the growth of microcrystallites' size in the range from 3 µm to 12 µm, the microhardness of ceramics increases. The compositional dependences and size e ects of microhardness, electrical conductivity and density of (Cu1􀀀xAgx)7SiS5I-based ceramics are analysed.