Synthesis of beta-SiC powder from alkoxide precursor and study of its sintering behaviour

In this study, β-SiC powder was prepared using a pyrolysed spherical precursor derived from the hydrolysis mixture of phenyltrimethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate. Before the pyrolysed experiment, an alkoxide precursor was characterised using ²⁹Si solid nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The alkoxide precursor was heated at 1800°C for 4 h under an Ar atmosphere. To examine the pyrolysed residue after heat treatment, the sample was collected and analysed with X-ray diffraction. The X-ray diffraction results for the sample show diffraction peaks at ∼35, 60 and 73°, which correspond to the β-SiC phase. According to the results of chemical analysis, the SiC content of the powder that was prepared at 1800°C was determined to be 99·4%. The sintering behaviour of the prepared β-SiC powder was examined using B₄C and C as sintering additives in the temperature range of 1900–2200°C.