Synthesis of silicon carbide powders from fumed silica powder and phenolic resin

Silicon carbide powders were synthesized by application of sol-gel processing. Fumed silica powder was used as the starting material for the silicon source, and phenolic resin was used for the carbon source. The effects of mixing ratio and difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic types of fumed silica powders were investigated. The stirred mixtures of fumed silica powders and phenolic resin became apparent sol states owing to homogeneous distribution. SiC powders were formed derived from both the types of fumed silica powders after the gelation and pyrolysis up to 1800 °C. The hydrophilic silica powder was effective to synthesize more homogeneous SiC powders than the hydrophobic type. Single-phase SiC was obtained in the C/Si (molar ratio after pyrolysis at 1000 °C) range between 1.0 and 2.5, while free carbon was contained in the obtained powders of C/Si > 2.5. In contrast, formation of SiC was insufficient, and SiO₂ was retained at ratios of C/Si < 1.0.