Novel Synthesis of High Surface Area Silicon Carbide by RAPET (Reactions under Autogenic Pressure at Elevated Temperature) of Organosilanes

We report on a very simple, efficient, and economical synthetic technique that produces SiC of a high surface area, and under different conditions of a silicon carbide−carbon nanocomposite (SCCN) at a relatively low temperature. A high yield of pure products is obtained in a one-stage, single-precursor reaction, without a catalyst. The cracking/dissociation of a triethylsilane precursor is carried out separately in a closed vessel cell (Swagelok) that was heated at 800 °C for 3 h, yielding SCCN, and at 1000 °C for 3 h, yielding SiC. This synthetic process is termed RAPET (Reactions under Autogenic Pressure at Elevated Temperature) process for the synthesis of nanomaterials.