Fabrication of composite structure of carbon fibers and high density SiC nanowires

Composite structure of carbon fibers and SiC nanowires was fabricated by a simple chemical vapor deposition process, using commercial silicon dioxide and graphite powders as raw materials. The analysis of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction indicates that the synthesized SiC nanowires distribute uniformly with high density in the used carbon fiber preform, which are perpendicular to and around each carbon fiber in a radial array. The SiC nanowires located at the interface of advanced composites is very favorable to the interfacial bonding between composites matrix and carbon fibers, thereby increasing the strength of composites greatly.