Morphology and stacking faults of beta-silicon carbide whisker synthesizedby carbothermal reduction

The main formation reaction for whisker that has been synthesized from SiO2 and carbon black (CB) in a hydrogen-gas atmosphere was a solid-gas reactio n between SiO and CB, The synthesized whiskers were classified into three t ypes, in terms of the morphology, growth direction, and stacking-fault plan es: (i) type A, which has a relatively nat surface and the stacking-fault p lanes are perpendicular to the growth direction; (ii) type B, which has a r ough surface and the stacking-fault planes are inclined at an angle of 35 d egrees to the growth direction; and (iii) type C, which has a rough sawtoot h surface and the stacking faults exist concurrently in three different {11 1} planes, The observed angles in the deflected and branched whiskers were 125 degrees, 70 degrees, and 109 degrees. These whiskers were composed of m ixtures of type A and type B, type A only, or parallel growth by two pairs of type A and type B whiskers. The whisker deflection was closely related t o the difference in the growth speed of each type of whisker.