Development of dual-phase SiC/Si₃N₄ nanostructures on nanosized SiC particles

ABSTRACT

The present study explores the reactivity of nanosized silicon carbide (SiC) with nitrogen gas in forming silicon nitride (Si₃N₄). As-received micron-sized SiC particles were reduced to nanosized SiC particles by high-energy ball milling. Further, the ball-milled powders were heat-treated at 1300°C, 1400°C and 1500°C for 2 h in argon and nitrogen atmospheres. The heat-treated powders were characterised by employing X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. Heat-treatment in nitrogen atmosphere resulted in the development of amorphous and crystalline Si₃N₄ nanowires/fibers/threads from the surface of nanosized SiC particles. The morphology of developed nanostructures showed a dependence on the heat-treatment temperature. The nanosized SiC powders with nanowires/fibers/threads of Si₃N₄ grown on their surfaces could be used as an effective reinforcement to produce novel composites.

KEYWORDS:

• Silicon carbide
• Ball milling
• SiC/Si₃N₄ nanostructures
• FTIR
• TEM

Acknowledgements

BVMK would like to acknowledge partial support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India through project No.DST/INT/Korea/P-32. SRM acknowledges the Max Planck Society for financial support to the Iron Research, Dusseldorf, Germany at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee through the Max-Planck Partner Group of the Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max Planck Institute.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID

B.V. Manoj Kumar http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1165-423X

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Department of Science and Technology, India [DST/INT/Korea/P-32].