Biomorphic SiC-ceramic prepared by Si-vapor phase infiltration of wood

The conversion of bioorganie structures like wood or ligninocellulosic fibers into porous microcellular SiC-ceramics is a novel manufacturing technology. Coniferous wood (pine) was transformed by high-temperature pyrolysis into carbon preforms and subsequently converted into biomorphic SiC-ceramics by Si-vapor infiltration under inert atmosphere. The morphology of the initial wood structure is retained. The infiltration of the Si-vapor phase into the CB-template and the kinetics of the SiC-formation were investigated. The amount of residual carbon was determined by means of mass balance calculation. The macroscopical properties of the final SiC-ceramics were characterized by porosity and mechanical property measurements. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.