Thermal plasma synthesis of ultrafine Si3N4 and SiC ceramic powders

Abstract

Thermal plasma processes for ultrafine ceramic powders synthesis are discussed and explained by examples of Si3N4 and SiC powder synthesis routes, consisting of silicon powder evaporation in nitrogen plasma, followed by reactive quenching with ammonia or propane-butane gas. Basic results of a) theoretical calculations, analysis and predictions, and b) experimental investigations on a 100 kW DC plasma installation with some of the characteristics of the obtained ultrafine Si3N4 and SiC powders are presented in the paper.