Nanostructured Silicon Carbide

Production of nanostructured materials is currently an active area of research. It has been shown that some mechanical properties, such as hardness and toughness, increase with decreasing grain size in some materials. These materials often have improved thermal, electrical, and optical properties. It has been demonstrated that the size of nanomaterials and the structure of the outer layers determine their mechanical, electrical, and optical properties. Manufacturing processes must produce nanosize materials of uniform dimensions and of strictly controlled surfaces to find practical applications. Ultimately, the structure of materials on the nanoscale is poorly understood. In this study, silicon carbide nanowires were produced reliably by two different methods: heating a mixture in an induction furnace for short times at different temperatures; and sintering separated precursors in a tube furnace for longer times at one temperature, while varying the precursors. The second method of production proved to be an excellent manufacturing process by which large quantities of pure SiC nanowires could be produced. The method is simple, easily reproduced, and relatively inexpensive.