Processing of Open-Cell Silicon Carbide Foams by Steam Chest Molding and Carbothermal Reduction

Open-cell silicon carbide (SiC) foams were fabricated using a newly developed process based on a steam chest molding and carbothermal reduction process. The fabrication process involved the following steps: (i) blending of a mixture of polysiloxane, carbon, hollow microsphere, and sintering additives (AlN-Y(2)O(3)), (ii) steam chest molding of the mixture, (iii) transforming the polysiloxane by pyrolysis into silicon oxycarbide, and (iv) fabricating SiC foams by carbothermal reduction and subsequent sintering.