Microstructural Evaluation of Sintered Nanoscale Sic Powders Prepared by various Processing Routes

Microstructural analysis was performed on several crystalline SiC samples previously prepared by three separate processing methods and subsequently sintered under high pressure and high temperature conditions using the cubic anvil cell MAX80 at Hasylab. Microcrystalline SiC was prepared using SHS conditions, while nanocrystalline SiC was prepared using both combustion synthesis methods and polymer precursors. High purity, highly disordered nanocrystalline SiC powders, with average particle diameters below 100 nm, were synthesized via combustion methods from precise mixtures of silane and acetylene. The properties of the silicon carbide powders prepared in this manner were dependent on the initial stoichiometry and pressure of the combustion mixture. Pyrolysis of polymer precursors to SiC was also used to fabricate ceramic powders containing uniformly-sized, highly disordered nanocrystalline SiC grains. The grain sizes ranged from approximately 3 nm to greater than 50 nm, and depended on the initial composition of the polymer, the pyrolysis conditions, as well as the annealing atmosphere, temperature and time. This paper describes the preparation methods for each of the SiC powders, the densification procedure, and preliminary results obtained primarily from transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis.