During a study of graphitization in a commercial Acheson furnace, alpha sil
icon carbide whiskers were accidentally found, which belongs to the SH-type
. The whiskers are about 2-300 mum in diameter and 5-50 mm long. The whiske
rs were studied by XRD and SEM, and the formation conditions of the whisker
s were discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.