Ultra long SiC nanowires with fluctuating diameters synthesized in a polymer pyrolysis CVD route

Abstract Large areas of millimeters long β -SiC nanowires with fluctuating diameters were synthesized in a polymer pyrolysis CVD (PPCVD) route. Polycarbosilane was used as the raw material. The morphology and structure of the nanowires were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the nanowires had non-periodically fluctuating diameters in the range of 100–250 nm along the axial direction, and were composed of well crystalline β -SiC along the 〈111〉 direction. The vapor–solid (VS) mechanism was employed to interpret the nanowires growth procedure, and the diameter fluctuation was resulted from the varying concentration of the local silane fragments.