Facile fabrication of three-dimensional mesoporous Si/SiC composites via one-step magnesiothermic reduction at relative low temperature

• Published in: Materials research bulletin Vol. 48; no. 10; pp. 4139 - 4145
• Main Authors: Jiang, Zhihang, Ma, Yongjun, Zhou, Yong, Hu, Shanglian, Han, Chaojiang, Pei, Chonghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2013
• Subjects: A. Three-dimensional mesoporous composites; B. Magnesothermic reduction; C. Electron microscopy; D. Biocompatibility; D. Photoluminescence; MATERIALS SCIENCE; MICROSTRUCTURE; NANOSTRUCTURES; PHOTOLUMINESCENCE; RAMAN SPECTRA; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; SILICON; SILICON CARBIDES; TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY; A. Three-dimensional mesoporous composites; C. Electron microscopy; D. Biocompatibility; B. Magnesothermic reduction; D. Photoluminescence
• ISSN: 0025-5408; 1873-4227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2013.06.037

•The Si/SiC composites were synthesized by one-step magnesiothermic reduction.•The mesoporous composites have a high specific surface area (655.7m2g−1).•The composites exhibited a strong photoluminescence and better biocompatibility.•The mechanisms of formation and photoluminescence of sample were discussed. By converting modified silica aerogels to the corresponding silicon/silicon carbide (Si/SiC) without losing its nanostructure, three-dimensional mesoporous (3DM) Si/SiC composites are successfully synthesized via one-step magnesothermic reduction at relative low temperature (650°C). The phase composition and microstructure of the resulting samples are measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). N2-sorption isotherms results show that the products have high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface areas (up to 656m2g−1) and narrow pore-size distributions (1.5–30nm). The composites exhibit a strong photoluminescence (PL) in blue-green light region (peak centered at 533nm). We have set out work on the biocompatibility and enhancing PL of samples. As a result of excellent performances of the composites, it can be expected to have significant application in optoelectronics, biosensors, biological tracer and so on.