Physicochemical processes accompanying the heating of pitch and pitch—ethyl silicate mixtures

Abstract

The problem of intensification of the synthesis of silicon carbide from pitch—ethyl silicate mixtures is considered. The physicochemical processes occurring in mixtures of pitch with nonhydrolyzed ethyl silicate and ethylsilicate binder thermally treated in air were studied by methods of differential thermal analysis and x-ray diffraction. The onset of SiC synthesis was observed at 1273 K. The yield of SiC increased upon formation of a silicon melt providing the maximum area of contact between carbon particles and ultradisperse silica. A self-organization takes place in the system that favors the formation of a layered material with SiC occurring predominantly in the form of whiskers.