Preparation of silicon carbide using bamboo charcoal as carbon source

Silicon carbide (SiC) was prepared by carbothermal reduction with amorphous silica sol as silicon source and bamboo charcoal powder as carbon source. The compositions and microstructure of prepared SiC were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). XRD of prepared SiC showed that the major phase of prepared SiC was hexagonal 6H-SiC with the existence of some 4H-SiC. SEM showed that SiC particle was granular, rod-like and of tower-shape, and it inherited the shape of bamboo charcoal. EDS showed that prepared SiC was pure without being doped by the mineral elements from bamboo charcoal. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.