Abstract. This paper provides a review of the synthesis techniques that are used to produce nanostructured silicon carbide. The synthesis methods, consisting of carbothermal reduction, chemical vapor deposition, laser ablation, sol-gel and microwave heating are described. The silicon carbide properties and application are also explained. The paper then discusses the limitations of previous studies which involved complicated equipment and processes, that limit their further application and act as a barrier to further research and development in many fields.

Abstract. This paper reports the study of milling duration on silicon dioxide characterization. The silicon dioxide has undergone mechanical milling treatment from 0 to 100 hours. The product after milling process was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Williamson-Hall plot technique was used in this study to analyse the silicon dioxide crystallite size and lattice strain. The longer milling duration resulted in the reduction of crystallite size and increase in lattice strain.

Abstract. This study concerns the carbothermal reduction of milled amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) to produce silicon carbide (SiC) using Taguchi's approach. The L9(34) orthogonal design matrix was selected involving four operation specifications; temperature, mechanical milling time, heating rate and time on amorphous SiO2 under carbothermal reduction. The responses were then analysed and evaluated by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique. SiC yield was optimized to the highest when synthesized using amorphous SiO2 with the highest-level setting for temperature (1450°C), milling duration (100 minutes), time (180 minutes) together with the minimum heating rate of 5°C/min and only SiC formation was observed at T≥1400°C.