Sol-gel synthesis of SiBOC glasses

Abstract

Silicon oxycarbide glass containing boron was prepared by pyrolysis of a sol-gel precursor in inert atmosphere. A structural characterization of the gel as well as of the SiBOC glass at various stages of the pyrolysis treatment has been performed. The precursor gels consists of SiOSi bonds with boron-rich regions in which BOB  and/or BOH bonds are present. During the pyrolysis boron atoms are incorporated into the silicate network leading to the formation of a silicon(boron)oxycarbide glass. A further increase of the pyrolysis temperature results in the crystallization of SiC. The glass structure can thus be described as a borosilicate matrix with a fine dispersion β-SiC nanocrstals.