Silicon carbide hollow cylinders using carbon nanotubes structures as template

Abstract In this work we present the production of Silicon Carbide (SiC) hollow structures using two components: Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) structures and Silicon (Si) powder. First of all, the MWCNTs based structures were grown by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique on patterned Silicon (Si) substrates. The patterning of Si substrates was performed by Soft photolithography technique. The grown CNTs structures were detached from the substrate and were put at high temperature along with Si powder at 1380 °C for 4 h and then at 1700 °C for 30 min in presence of inert atmosphere which allows the creation of a uniform SiC shell around these structures. Subsequently the removal of the carbon core at 900 °C in air permit to obtain SiC hallow structure. In particular, here we have reported, as an example, a hollow cylinder of 250 µm (approx.) of SiC as a final result. The way to produce hollow SiC structures opens new opportunity in the field of high resistance microstructures from chemical and mechanical point of view.