Single-step synthesis of chemically cross-linked polysilastyrene and its conversion to β -silicon carbide

A new method for chemically cross-linking polysilastyrene using divinylbenzene as the cross-linking agent is reported. The procedure involves a single-step synthesis using the alkali-metal sodium to promote the polymerization of dimethyldichlorsilane in the presence of the comonomers phenylmethyldichlorosilane and divinylbenzene. The cross-linked polymer can be readily converted to β-SiC on pyrolysis at 1500° C. The β -SiC obtained by this procedure is nanocrystalline and has a grain-size distribution of 8-20 nm