Abstract

Continuous-wave CO₂ laser irradiation into gaseous methyldisiloxanes [(CH₃)_nH_3−nSi]₂O (n = 2,3) at 1000 °C yields nanosized Si/C/O–carbon composites and at 2000 °C affords SiC–Si/C/O–carbon composites. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the direct production of silicon carbide from disiloxanes and suggest that the laser-induced homogeneous thermolysis of disiloxanes to SiC can be a preferred alternative to the earlier reported conventional thermolysis of specially synthesized polysiloxanes.