Synthesis of Small Silicon Carbide Nanocrystals in Low Pressure Nonthermal Plasma
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Abstract
Nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their unusual physical properties. This work represents original, incipient research into small crystalline silicon carbide nanoparticles synthesized in a low-pressure nonthermal plasma reactor. The nonthermal plasma technique offers a route for size-tunable synthesis of high-purity silicon carbide nanocrystals. Even though it has a high sublimation point, silicon carbide is synthesized in crystalline form in a nonthermal plasma reactor since nanoparticles are intensely heated by exothermic surface reactions on a nanoscale level. Using vaporized tetramethylsilane as a precursor and molecular hydrogen as an additive, both silicon carbide and silicon- or carbon-coated silicon carbide were created. Since plasma synthesis is a ligand-free process and charges on particles prevent agglomeration, silicon carbide is soluble in short-chain alcohols.