Synthesis of 2H-SiC whiskers by decomposition of Si3N4

Whiskers of 2H-SiC were synthesized by the decomposition of silicon nitride in a graphite reaction vessel at 1900°C under the nitrogen pressure of 1MPa. The obtained long whiskers were typically -10mm long and 0.05-0.1mm in diameter and short whiskers were -0.1mm long and -10μm in diameter. Morphology observations suggested that they had grown by the spiral growth mechanism.