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α-SiC particles were used as heating seeds to prepare SiC from coal minerals with microwave heating method. Coating technique was carried out to prepare composite raw powders in three different methods. Heating temperatures were at 1000 °C, 1050 °C, 1100 °C, 1150 °C, 1200 °C for 10min, respectively. XRD, SEM techniques were carried out to characterize samples. It was found that different distribution between C and α-SiC particles from different mixing method leads to different microwave heating behavior and growth mechanisms. V-V reaction leads to in situ nucleation and grain growth on the surface of α-SiC seeds which contact with C particles. Well-grown β-SiC particulates appear. Hybrid V-V reaction V-L reaction lead to local microwave plasma and diffusion-precipitation with a very thin layer of SiO2 between raw C particles and α-SiC seeds. Local fine β-SiC whiskers and particulates on the surface of α-SiC seeds co-exist. Primary V-V reaction leads to nucleation and grain growth along reacted C-SiO2 interface with very thick layer of SiO2 between raw C and α-SiC seeds. Substantial β-SiC whiskers appear. Transformation from β-SiC to α-SiC on the surface of as-formed whiskers will be enhanced by microwave plasma at high temperature.

Silicon carbide (SiC) crystals were synthesized by microwave sintering using coal and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as raw materials. A sol-gel method was carried out to coat coal mineral particles with silicon dioxide (SiO2). The mixed raw powders were pre-formed by uniaxial pressing into cylindrical pellets in dimension of ~ 30 × 3 mm2. The pre-forming pressure was selected at 0 MPa, 1 MPa, 2 MPa, 3 MPa, 4 MPa and 5 MPa respectively, which led to different apparent density of the green pellets. The influence of apparent density of green pellets on microwave heating behavior was investigated. Different microwave thermal effects were analyzed. Techniques of XRD、SEM were carried out to characterize samples. It was found that pre-forming pressure showed crucial influences on microwave thermal effects and electric field (E-field) intensification. No SiC crystal could be formed without pre-forming pressure. Pre-forming pressure might be the prerequisite for synthesis of SiC by microwave heating. Five consecutive and indispensable heating stages including accumulation of residual air, microwave plasma generation, complex chemical reactions, nucleation and grain growth of SiC crystallites could be distinguished for samples under pre-forming pressure. Different pre-forming pressure leads to changes in heating behavior as well as morphologies of SiC crystals. ~ 4 MPa might be the optimized pre-forming pressure for both microwave plasma effects and E-field intensification.