Abstract

Freestanding nanocrystalline films of silicon carbide (see Figure) can be synthesized employing a simple route-spray pyrolysis of ball-milled silicon. The silicon-hexane slurry was spray pyrolized in a silica tube at a constant temperature of 1000-1100 degrees C. XRD and SEM studies show the as synthesized films to be nanocrystalline alpha-SiC, with average crystallite size 90-125 nm, and a thickness of a few micrometers.