High-yield synthesis of silicon carbide nanowires by solar and lamp ablation

• Published in: Nanotechnology 2013-08, Vol.24 (33), p.335603-1-7
• Main Authors: Lu, Hai-bo, Chan, Benjamin C Y, Wang, Xiaolin, Chua, Hui Tong, Raston, Colin L, Albu-Yaron, Ana, Levy, Moshe, Popowitz-Biro, Ronit, Tenne, Reshef, Feuermann, Daniel, Gordon, Jeffrey M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ablation; Catalytic methods; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Lamps; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanocomposites; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Nanowires; Physics; Quantum wires; Silicon carbide; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Synthesis
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/33/335603

We report a reasonably high yield (∼50%) synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires from silicon oxides and carbon in vacuum, by novel solar and lamp photothermal ablation methods that obviate the need for catalysis, and allow relatively short reaction times (∼10 min) in a nominally one-step process that does not involve toxic reagents. The one-dimensional core/shell β-SiC/SiOx nanostructures-characterized by SEM, TEM, HRTEM, SAED, XRD and EDS-are typically several microns long, with core and outer diameters of about 10 and 30 nm, respectively. HRTEM revealed additional distinctive nanoscale structures that also shed light on the formation pathways.