SiC refractories made by various pressing and sintering methods may contain structural and chemical heterogenieties similar to tljiose reported for Si3N4 base refractories. Although some earlier work on SiC did not reveal second phases, other oxidation experiments showed the reaction to take place heterogeneously, leading to the supposition that such heterogenieties may be present. In this work we examine a typical commercial SiC ceramic to determine the existence of such structural irregularities.
