Porous silicon carbide ceramics from silicon and carbon mixture

Abstract

Porous SiC ceramics were fabricated from a mixture of silicon (Si) and carbon (C). The Si and C mixture was treated first at 1500 degrees C for the formation of beta-SiC and then heated further up to 2150 degrees C. When the beta-SiC particles that were transformed into beta-SiC at over 2100 degrees C, the rapid grain growth of alpha-SiC consumed the beta-matrix SiC particles and ultimately porous interconnected network structure with huge elongated plate-like grains was formed. The effect of the initial composition on the microstructure formation of the porous SiC ceramics was investigated. The mechanical properties of the porous SiC ceramics were examined and discussed.