A new process was developed for creation of ceramic whiskers, using an NSF Expedited Award for Novel Research. The process can form both silicon carbide and silicon nitride whiskers. These whiskers can be incorporated into other materials and result in large increases in the strength and toughness of that material, thus leading to the ability to produce better manufactured products. This award is to allow research to develop the procedure further to make it one that can be adopted by industry. Attempts will be made to use the resulting composite materials in several applications, e.g., metal cutting tools, and to demonstrate their use in industry.
