Morphological evolution of one-dimensional SiC nanomaterials controlled by sol–gel carbothermal reduction

Silicon carbide nanomaterials with different diameters and morphologies have been synthesized by sol–gel carbothermal reduction method. The microstructure analysis shows that the products are one-dimensional β-SiC nanomaterials. The effect of reaction temperature and carbon/silicon molar ratio on the morphological evolution of SiC nanomaterials was investigated. Smooth nanowires, hierarchical nanodishes and short nanorods were formed respectively with the reaction temperature changing from 1500 °C, 1550 °C to 1600 °C. The hierarchical nanodishes with slightly different morphologies were also obtained by tuning carbon/silicon molar ratio. The vapor solid epitaxial mechanism was proposed to explain the growth process.

► Three types of 1D SiC nanomaterials have been synthesized by carbothermal reduction.
► The effect of the morphological evolution was investigated.
► The VSE mechanism was proposed to explain the growth process of 1D SiC nanomaterials.