Self-Assembled Hierarchical Single-Crystalline β-SiC Nanoarchitectures

Hierarchical single-crystalline β-SiC nanoarchitectures have been successfully synthesized using a catalyst-assisted thermochemical process. Their morphology and structure were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Studies found that the central nanowires have diameters of ∼10−20 nm and the branched nanoplatelets have thicknesses of 5−10 nm. Field emission measurements showed that the hierarchical β-SiC nanoarchitectures have a turn-on field of ∼12 V/μm.