LAUSR

Abstract In this work, cubic 3C-silicon carbide (beta-SiC) 1D-structures were successfully synthesized at various temperatures (1600 °C, 1650 °C and 1700 °C) by using graphite flakes and microfine silica through the carbothermal reduction process. The grown SiC structures were observed with two distinct morphologies viz. ribbon-type (diameter 2-5 µm) and rod-type (diameter >2 µm). The ribbon-type morphology was formed on the surface of the graphite flakes at relatively low temperature (1600 °C) whereas, the rod-type morphology was formed at a higher temperature (≥1650 °C) between the interlamellar spacing of graphite flakes. The TEM analysis confirms the growth direction of [111] for the as-grown 3C-SiC structures. The growth process of these two distinct morphologies is discussed in terms of nucleation and precipitation associated with vapour-solid (VS) and vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanisms. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy indicated that the corresponding peaks of the as grown SiC structures had red shifted as compared to the bulk SiC and that could be attributed to the confinement effect, internal stresses in the structure and stacking faults.