Kinetic studies on production of silicon carbide from rice husks

A kinetic study on a non-conventional route for the production of silicon carbide was carried out on a laboratory scale. Silicon carbide was produced by vacuum pyrolysis of rice husks in the temperature range 1200-1600 degreesC. The resulting products were characterised by XRD and chemical analysis. Attempts were made to develop the parametric relationships correlating the yield of silicon carbide to the process variables and starting material characteristics. Empirical relationships defining the rate of silicon carbide formation as a function of temperature, compaction pressure, CO gas diffusion, and compact porosity are proposed.