SiC nanowires (NWs) are usually synthesized in a closed vacuum reaction system which limits the yield of SiC NWs. In this work, SiC NWs and carbon nanotubes were synthesized in an open tube furnace at 1550°C with Si powder as silicon sources, ethanol as carbon sources and ferrocene as catalyst. The as‐synthesized products were ultralong β‐SiC NWs with the diameter about 80‐100 nm and the length up to several tens micrometers. The diameter of the carbon nanotubes was about 20‐30 nm. The carbon nanotube yarns about 20 cm in length were obtained at the end of the tube furnace. The growth mechanism of SiC NWs and carbon nanotubes were proposed. Compared with the traditional synthetic techniques in the high vacuum closed system, the novel synthesis method in the open system provided a new approach to the synthesis of SiC NWs.
In this study, a novel colorless and transparent polysilazane (PSZ) with excellent spinnability was facilely synthesized via the thermal polymerization of silazane oligomer at 330℃. The silazane precursor was fabricated by one‐step copolycondensation of methyldichlorosilane (CH3SiHCl2) and dimethyldichlorosilane ((CH3)2SiCl2) in various ratios at 0℃ without catalyst during the reaction. The chemical composition, molecule structure, molecular weight and ceramic yield of PSZ were investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and pyrolysis chromatography‐mass spectrometry (PY‐GC/MS). The optimized novel transparent melt‐spinnable PSZ was a colorless and transparent brittle solid with a Mw = 14,231 and a melting point of 100℃, which was prepared with an optimal molar ratio of raw materials at 1.9:1 (CH3SiHCl2: (CH3)2SiCl2). Fibers with various diameters were spun using a homemade melt spinning setup at 90–120°C. The obtained PSZ showed outstanding spinnability, and the prepared continuous fibers exhibited a uniform diameter (10–80 microns) and a smooth surface up to 1000 meters long. In addition, possible polymerization mechanisms of PSZ were also discussed. The PSZ showed the excellent rheological properties in melt‐spinning as a potential precursor for Si3N4 fibers. The novel optically transparent polysilazane material also have great potential applications in optical technology and engineering.
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