SiC/SiO2 nanocables and nanosprings synthesized by catalyst-free method

High-yield and high-purity SiC/SiO2 nanocables and nanosprings were synthesized without the presence of catalyst by high frequency-induction heating of SiO and activated carbon fibers in the temperature of 1450 °C for 10 min. The as-prepared nanocables consist of a 10–25 nm diameter single-crystalline core wrapped with an amorphous SiO2 shell of a diameter of 10–20 nm. The nanosprings diameter and pitch of as-grown SiC/SiO2 are ∼25 and 10 nm, respectively. The formation mechanism was analyzed by thermodynamics calculation combined with SEM, TEM and HRTEM.