Synthesis of Si-N-C Ceramic Composites by Pyrolysis of Polysilazane and Polycarbosilane

Abstract

Non-oxide ceramics derived from organo-elemental precursors in the system Si-N-C has attracted much attention for its excellent properties. Typically, the Si-N-C ceramic shows homogeneous elemental distribution, better high-temperature stability and oxidation resistance which making them attractive for applying in various branches of technology. A novel amorphous ceramic is fabricated from precursors mixed by polysilazane (PSZ) and polycarbosilane (PCS). The Si-N-C ceramics (PSZ/PCS=2 (w/w)) are heat-treated between 1200°C and 1500°C in nitrogen to crystallization of microcrystalline α-Si3N4 and nanocrystalline SiC. The obtained Si-N-C ceramics are characterized by density, ceramic yield, porosity, X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscope to analyze the crystallization and microstructure. The experimental results indicate that the ratio of PSZ/PCS and the annealing temperature have a big influence on the crystallization behavior.