Synthesis and photoluminescence of needle-shaped 3C–SiC nanowires on the substrate of PAN carbon fiber

Needle-shaped 3C–SiC nanowires were obtained on the substrate of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) carbon fibers using a simple thermal evaporation of silicon on the carbon fibers. The growth of SiC nanowires may be dominated by the vapor–solid reaction, and the skin/core heterogeneity of PAN carbon fibers may play a crucial effect to synthesize SiC nanowires. A strong photoluminescence peak located around 468 nm was observed at room temperature and the luminescence mechanism was discussed. The advantages of this process are that SiC nanoneedles were grown radially from the substrate of PAN carbon fibers and PAN carbon fiber is electrically conductive. This sort of radial SiC nanowire array may find practical applications in blue and ultraviolet light emitters, field electron emission, reinforced composites, sensors, etc.