A New Route to the Fabrication of Si₃N₄/SiC Nanocomposite

We attempted in-situ fabrication of Si₃N₄/SiC nanocomposite using commercial polymer such as phenolic resin. The essential point is that the bonds between the carbon and the other elements in polymer can be removed by simple thermal treatment, thereby producing free carbon. In mixture containing both the Si₃N₄ powder, which contained some amount of SiO₂ impurity, and polymer. SiC nanoparticles were considered to be formed by direct reaction between carbon and Si species (Si₃N₄ and/or SiO₂). The SiC particles were well dispersed in the matrix. We examined residual free carbon in the final nanocomposite using Raman spectroscopy, concluding that the carbon did not exist.