Low temperature fabrication and characterization of porous SiC ceramics using polycarbosilane as binder

Polycarbosilane (PCS) and SiC powders, in which PCS acted as binder, were adopted as starting materials to fabricate porous SiC ceramics. During pyrolysis, PCS experienced an organicinorganic transformation and bonded SiC powders at a low temperature of 1273K. The flexural strength of porous SiC ceramics increased with increasing PCS content and shaping pressure, while the porosity decreased with increasing the PCS content, shaping pressure and particle size of SiC powders. The fracture surface of porous SiC ceramics was observed.