MoSi2–Al2O3 electroconductive ceramic composites

Al2O3–MoSi2 composites with MoSi2 volume fractions between 16 and 40% were fabricated from commercial ceramic Al2O3 and intermetallic MoSi2 powders by granulation, cold isostatic pressing and vacuum-sintering. The addition of MoSi2 had only a slight influence on the densification of the composites, with sintered densities of 98% for samples with 16 vol.% MoSi2 and 94% for samples with 40 vol.% MoSi2. Composites with MoSi2 contents of 20 vol.% and higher were electroconductive due to the formation of a three-dimensional percolating network of the conductive MoSi2 phase.