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Large-Scale Synthesis of α-Si3N4 Nanofibers and Nanobelts from Mesoporous Silica-Carbon Nanocomposites
K. Wang1, H. Wang2, Y.-B. Cheng3
1 State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria 3800, Australia
3 Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria 3800, Australia
received December 23, 2016, received in revised form February 14, 2017, accepted March 31, 2017
Vol. 8, No. 2, Pages 259-264 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2016-00118
Abstract
This work presents a low-cost and large-scale synthesis technique for silicon nitride nanofibers and nanobelts based on the use of mesoporous silica-carbon nanocomposites as precursors via a carbothermal reduction and nitridation reaction. The growth mechanisms have been investigated by carrying out heat-treatment of precursors with different C/SiO2 ratios in a flowing nitrogen gas with different flow rates. Highly crystalline silicon nitride nanofibers and nanobelts were obtained after easy separation from the unreacted powder underneath. A higher C/SiO2 ratio gives a better yield of nitride products. The thickness of the ribbons can be maintained as constant while the width of the ribbons can be controlled by tailoring the flow rate of nitrogen gas. The growth direction of Si3N4 nanobelts is parallel to the [100] crystallographic orientation of α-Si3N4.
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Keywords
Silicon nitride, nanofibers, nanobelts, mesoporous, nanocomposites, carbothermal reduction and nitridation
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