Synthesis of silicon carbide nanorods from mixture of polymer and sol–gel silica

Excerpt

Silicon carbide possesses many unique properties like superior strength, corrosion and oxidation resistance at elevated temperature [1]. Silicon carbide in the fibrous form is employed for the development of ceramic-matrix and metal- matrix composites (CMCs and MMCs) [2, 3]. Recently there is growing interest in the synthesis of nanofibres, which could be used for the development of nanocomposites, solid-state lubricants, catalysts and components of magnetic devices [4]. Nano silicon carbides are synthesized as nanorods, nanowires, nanotubes and nanofibres [5‐8]. Silicon carbide nanomaterials which can be used as reinforcing material are generally prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) [9], arc-discharge [10], polymer blend technique [11] and by reaction between carbon nanotubes and silicon monoxide [12]. The authors had also employed and reported polymer blend technique for the development of pitch based carbon fibres [13, 14]. It was seen by the authors during their efforts to develop carbon fibres from pitches modified with polymers that polyphenylene oxide–polystyrene (PPO–PS) blend does not give fibres on spinning and gives rod like materials [13]. Based on the results of the above studies, attempts have been made in the present investigation to synthesize SiC nanorods by blending sol–gel derived silica with PPO–PS polymer. …