Conversion of a wood flour-SiO2-phenolic composite to a porous SiC ceramic containing SiC whiskers

Abstract

A novel wood flour-SiO2-phenolic composite was chosen for conversion into a porous SiC ceramic containing SiC whiskers via carbothermal reduction. At 1550 °C, the composite was converted into porous a SiC ceramic, with pore diameters of 10-40 μm, consisting of β-SiC located at the position of former wood cell walls. β-SiC wire-like whiskers of less than 50 nm in diameter and several tens to over 100 μm in length form within the pores. The surface of the resulting ceramic was coated with β-SiC necklace-like whiskers with diameters of 1-2 μm. © 2013 (CC) SCS.