Reactions of Silicon Carbide and Silicon(IV) Oxide at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

The reaction between SiC and SiO 2 has been studied in the temperature range 1400–1600 K. A Knudsen cell in conjunction with a vacuum microbalance and a high‐temperature mass spectrometer was used for this study. Two systems were studied—1:1 SiC (2 wt% excess carbon) and SiO 2 ; and 1:1:1 SiC, carbon, and SiO 2 . In both cases the excess carbon forms additional SiC within the Knudsen cell and adjusts to the direct reaction of stoichiometric SiC and SiO 2 to form SiO( g ) and CO( g ) in approximately a 3:1 ratio. These results are interpreted in terms of the SiC‐O stability diagram.