Preparation of nano-sized silicon carbide powder using thermal plasma

Nano-sized silicon carbide (SiC) powder was prepared by thermal plasma process using silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) and methane (CH4). The synthesized powder was characterized by X-ray diffraction pattern, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and particle size analyzer. The powder was dominated by beta-SiC including some of alpha-SiC and free carbon species. The quality of the powder was varied with process conditions such as the molar ratio of H/Si and C/Si, and collecting positions. It was known that the conversion to SiC was mainly affected by the addition of hydrogen gas because it promoted the decomposition and reduction of SiCl4. CH4 was easily decomposed to carbon species for the formation of SiC as well as removal of impure oxygen, but excessive carbon suppressed the formation of crystalline SiC and resulted in the solid carbon contamination. The optimum ratio of H/Si was approx. 26 and that of C/Si was 1.1. For collecting positions, the powder collected at the vessel and filter was preferable to that at the reaction tube. The average size of the powder synthesized was estimated to be below 100 nm and uniform in distribution.