Simultaneous synthesis of β-Si3N4 nanofibers and pea-pods and hand-fan like Si2N2O nanostructures by the CVD method

The aim of this work is to synthesize a net of interwoven β-Si3N4 nanofibers and intertwined pea-pods and hand-fan like Si2N2O nanostructures by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method at a relatively low temperature (1300°C) and short times (up to 4h). A solid precursor (Na2SiF6) was thermally decomposed at 400°C into two new products: 2NaF and SiF4. Afterwards, the SiF4 reacts with a flow of N2 (9cm3/min) with O2 traces at 10mbar and 1300°C producing a net of β-Si3N4 nanofibers with defined diameters (100–200nm up to 3h and 30–100nm at 4h) and intertwined pea-pods and hand-fan like Si2N2O micro and nanostructures on the back side of a particulate SiC preform. •β-Si3N4 nanofibers and Si2N2O nanostructures were synthesized by CVD.•Na2SiF6 is a solid precursor of the β-Si3N4 and Si2N2O nanostructures.•β-Si3N4 and Si2N2O nanostructures were grown at 4h and 1300°C.