The microstructural analysis of SiC nanorods by high-resolution electron microscopy

beta-sic nanorods have been synthesized by the reaction of SiO and carbon n ano-capsules. For the synthesis of SiC nanorods, it was examined that the r eaction temperature and the ratio of SiO to carbon nanocapsules are importa nt and the most appropriate temperature and ratio are around 1380 degrees C and 5:2, respectively. The synthesized SiC nanorods were characterized by high-resolution electron microscopy. Most of the SiC nanorods are straight and have the diameter of 30-150 nm while the SiC tips of the SiC nanorods h ave the size 100-400 nm. The SiC nanorods have many stacking faults normal to the [111] direction. Each SIC nanorod has one kind of preferential axis direction, which is either parallel or normal to the [111] direction. Based on the microstructural analysis of the SiC nanorods, a possible growth mec hanism of the SiC nanorods is proposed.