In situ diagnostics of the SiC nanostructures growth process

• A new method for diagnostics of the nanostructure growth process has been proposed.
• Normalized intensity of thresholded combustion images helped us to obtain reaction fingerprint.
• SiC nanofibres were efficiently grown using the SHS method.

Combustion synthesis (SHS, self-sustainable high-temperature synthesis), carried out in a modified calorimetric bomb, is a fast, efficient, self-sustainable, and one-step production method of new nanomaterials. Among them, SiC nanowires and their bundles are one of the most interesting due to their properties and a variety of possible applications. However, as the growth process occurs probably partially under non-equilibrium conditions, its control and monitoring are rather difficult. Furthermore, the synthesis is very sensitive to any change of process variables, so that the growth mechanism knowledge is essential for the optimization of the synthesis. To overcome those drawbacks, the in-situ diagnostics of combustion is proposed. It is based on the photo-registration of an optical signal (light emitted and observed via polycarbonate observation port). From full HD 25 frames/s with resolution 1920×1080, one may calculate the relative signal intensity, its time evolution and find the reaction fingerprint. The validation of experimental protocol consisted in confirmation of results reproducibility, crucial in case of the nonlinear process, within different calculation algorithms and registration conditions.