Polymeric synthesis of silicon carbide with microwaves

The aim of this work is conducting polymeric synthesis with microwaves for producing beta-SiC. A polymeric precursor was prepared by means of hydrolysis and condensation reactions from pheniltrimethoxysilane, water, methanol, ammonium hydroxide and chloride acid. The precursor was placed into a quartz tube in vacuum; pyrolysis was carried out conventionally in a tube furnace, and by microwaves at 2.45 GHz in a multimode cavity. Conventional tests took place in a scheme where temperature was up to 1500 degrees C for 120 minutes. Microwave heating rate was not controlled and tests lasted 60 and 90 minutes, temperature was around 900 degrees C. Products of the pyrolysis were analyzed by means of x-ray diffraction; in the microwave case the diffraction patterns showed a strong background of either very fine particles or amorphous material, then infrared spectroscopy was also employed for confirming carbon bonds. In both processes beta-SiC was found as the only produced carbide.