Synthesis of SiC nanowhiskers from graphite and silica by microwave heating

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an important ceramics for engineering and industrial applications due to its advantage to withstand in high temperatures. In this article, a demonstration of SiC nanowhiskers synthesis by using microwave heating has been shown. The mixtures of raw materials in the form of pellets were heated, using a laboratory microwave furnace, to 1400 degrees C for 40 minutes at a heating rate of 20 degrees C/min. The characterization process proved that the mixture of graphite and silica in the ratio of 1: 3 is an ideal composition for synthesizing single phase beta-SiC nanowhiskers. Vapor-solid mechanism was suggested to explain the formation of SiC nanowhiskers by the proposed microwave heating.