Needle-like SiC nanorods

SiC nanorods with a needle-like shape have been synthesized by carbothermal reduction of SiO at 1410 degreesC, where the reductant is highly curled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) containing Fe nanoparticles approximately 10 rim. in size. Each SiC nanorod has a rounded Fe-Si single crystalline tip 120-250 mn in size and a sharp SiC tip approximately 10 nm in size. Along the nanorod axis, the diameter decreases gradually from approximately 100 nm on the Fe-Si tip side to approximately 10 nm on the sharp SiC tip. A revised vapor-liquid-solid mechanism from Wagner's mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the SiC nanorods.