The aim of present work was to obtain ceramic composites based on silicon carbide and vitreous silicon dioxide, under unconventional thermal treatment and sintering conditions.

Due to the low densification ability of silicon carbide, sintering additives were used to enhance the process. Thus, to the studied ceramic composites it was added in fixed proportion (10% wt.) a third component as sintering aid, namely: alumina, mullite and cubic zirconia.

The samples, obtained by uniaxial pressing, were sintered by unconventional methods. A first thermal treatment was performed in oxidizing atmosphere and pressure controlled Tammann kiln with graphite elements and controlled atmosphere at temperatures of 1250°C, 1350°C and 1400°C, and a pressure of 30 MPa, with a soaking time at maximum temperature of 30 min. A second unconventional sintering treatment was performed in microwave field in a multimode microwave oven with a 1600W power at a temperature of ~1320°±30°C.

The obtained ceramic bodies were characterized by phase composition (X-ray diffraction) and structural-textural (scanning electron microscopy) view point. The ceramic properties (density, absorption, open porosity) and

 compressive strength were determined, as well.