The present paper reports on the fabrication and the mechanical proper
ties of SIC (Hi-Nicalon) fibres reinforced Si3N4 matrix composites. Th
e composite was fabricated by liquid infiltration of an aqueous Si3N4
slurry followed by hot-pressing. The effect of fibre coating layers wa
s investigated with a 400 nm thick pyrolytic carbon. The fibre coating
was found to have a significant effect on the frictional stress of th
e fibre-matrix interface and consequently on the fracture behaviour of
the composite.