Comparison of Microwave Hybrid and Conventional Heating of Preceramic Polymers to Form Silicon Carbide and Silicon Oxycarbide Ceramics

Abstract

Six different preceramic polymers were pyrolyzed via conventional and microwave hybrid heating; these polymers provide a range of carbon content and local atomic coordination. The products were compared with each other using X‐ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. Nanocrystalline β‐SiC was the principal crystal phase detected, and the amount and size of the nanocrystals increased as the processing temperature increased. Differences were observed in the amount and size of the β‐SiC nanocrystals and the graphitization of residual carbon between the microwave hybrid heating and the conventional oven heating of polycarbosilanes. Conventional heating of a high‐carbon polysiloxane in an oven (in flowing argon) produced a greater amount of β‐SiC from carbothermal reduction at high temperature. Microwave hybrid heating led to better β‐SiC nanocrystal development for polyureasilazane.