Combustion Synthesis of Silicon Carbide in Nitrogen Atmosphere

Fine SiC powders were synthesized by burning the mixed reactionts Si and C in a nitrogen atmosphere of 3 to 10 MPa. The exothermic synthesis reaction propagated spontaneously after igniting the reactants at room temperature. The SiC powders obtained had a uniform size distribution of about 0.2 μm. The combustion velocity was 0.8 to 1.5 mm / s. The maximum temperature measured at the reaction was 2500 K, which was higher than the adiabatic combustion temperature of SiC, but slightly lower than the decomposition temperature of Si3N4 under nitrogen pressure.