SiC microsphere derived from phenolic resin - Ethyl silicate heterogeneous precursors with carbothermic reduction

Heterogeneous precursors for SiC particles were synthesized from viscous phenolic resin and tetraethyl orthosilicate with hastening ethanol removal process in a concentrated state. In the pyrolysis products, spherical carbon domains with diameter of several micrometers were embedded in the SiO2-C matrix. After the carbothermic reduction process at 2073 K, SiC-C spheres were obtained with an SiC yield of similar to80%, while the carbon domains acted as templates of the SiC-C spheres with complete disappearance of the SiO2-C matrix area. After the carbon burned out, some of the spheres possessed a hollow structure. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.