Synthesis of silicon carbide from rice husk

Abstract

Mexican rice hulls were pyrolysed in an inert atmosphere to form silicon carbide. The first step was a preheating process; the next step was the synthesis of silicon carbide, by using an extremely simple system of heating. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis were used to characterize the product. The type of SiC obtained was the so-called b-silicon carbide, in the form of fibres.