Synthesis and characterization of nanoscale metal oxides and carbides: II. Micro-raman and FT-IR surface studies of a silicon carbide powder.

Abstract

Standard Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectrometries are very useful tools for materials characterization. However they are no longer sufficient in the case of nanoparticle analyses. The important part played by surface species implies a critical need for a surface characterization. In this work, we discuss the results of an FT-IR surface characterization. Silicon carbide is given as an example for which evidence of an irreversibly adsorbed carbonate species as well as a complete oxidation of the surface is shown.