The　fracture　mechanism　of　porous　silicon　carbide　(SiC)　was　investigated　by　using　the　acoustic　emission　(AE)　technique.　Four　point　bending　tests　were　conducted　at　different　loading　speeds,　and　integrated　with　AE　monitoring.　The　results　revealed　that　the　quasi-static　fatigue　behavior　had　a　critical　role　on　the　degradation　of　fracture　strength,　and　fracture　was　caused　by　the　microcracks　of　binder.　For　the　AEs　detected　during　the　bending　tests,　source　wave　analysis　of　AE　was　carried　out　in　order　to　quantitatively　estimate　the　volume　of　microcrack.　It　was　found　that　the　crack　volume　was　slightly　smaller　than　that　of　binder　fracture　observed　by　a　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM),　thus　suggested　that　the　small　crack　propagates　in　the　binder　and　produces　AEs.　It　was　also　found　that　the　longer　the　testing　time,　the　smaller　the　rnicrocrack　occurred　at　the　lower　stress　level.　Therefore,　the　fracture　mechanism　of　the　porous　SiC　was　found　to　be　controlled　by　particle　binder　fracture,　which　is　time　dependent.　In　addition,　AE　is　testified　as　a　useful　technique　to　monitor　the　small　crack　of　binder,　which　plays　a　very　important　role　in　material　strength　and　filtering　function　of　porous　SiC.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.　All　rights　reserved.