Molecular Chemistry and Engineering of Boron-Modified Polyorganosilazanes as New Processable and Functional SiBCN Precursors

Polyborosilazanes with Controllable B/N Ratio for Si-B-C-N Ceramics

Polyborosilazanes with controllable B/N ratio were synthesized using high-boron-content m-carborane, dichloromethylsilane, and hexamethydisilazane. After high-temperature pyrolysis, Si-B-C-N quaternary ceramics with SiC and B₄C as the main phases were obtained. The B/N ratio in the precursors corresponded to the change in the feeding ratio of carborane and dichloromethylsilane. The effects of boron content and B/N ratio on the ceramic precursors and microphase structure in Si-B-C-N quaternary ceramics were explored in detail through a series of analytical characterization methods. A high boron content results in a significant increase in the ceramic yield (up to 71 wt%) of polyborosilazanes, and at the same time, the B/N molar ratio was regulated from 28.4:1 to 1.62:1. The appearance of the B₄C structure in the Si-B-C-N quaternary ceramics through the regulation of the B/N ratio, has rarely been reported.

Design and Manufacturing of Si-Based Non-Oxide Cellular Ceramic Structures through Indirect 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing of Polymer-Derived Ceramics (PDCs) is regarded as a disruptive fabrication process that includes several technologies such as light curing and ink writing. However, 3D printing based on material extrusion is still not fully explored. Here, an indirect 3D printing approach combining Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and replica process is demonstrated as a simple and low-cost approach to deliver complex near-net-shaped cellular Si-based non-oxide ceramic architectures while preserving the structure. 3D-Printed honeycomb polylactic acid (PLA) lattices were dip-coated with two preceramic polymers (polyvinylsilazane and allylhydridopolycarbosilane) and then converted by pyrolysis respectively into SiCN and SiC ceramics. All the steps of the process (printing resolution and surface finishing, cross-linking, dip-coating, drying and pyrolysis) were optimized and controlled. Despite some internal and surface defects observed by topography, 3D-printed materials exhibited a retention of the highly porous honeycomb shape after pyrolysis. Weight loss, volume shrinkage, roughness and microstructural evolution with high annealing temperatures are discussed. Our results show that the sacrificial mold-assisted 3D printing is a suitable rapid approach for producing customizable lightweight highly stable Si-based 3D non-oxide ceramics.

Characterization and Microstructural Evolution of Continuous BN Ceramic Fibers Containing Amorphous Silicon Nitride

Boron nitride (BN) ceramic fibers containing amounts of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) were prepared using hybrid precursors of poly(tri(methylamino)borazine) (PBN) and polycarbosilane (PCS) via melt-spinning, curing, decarburization under NH₃ to 1000 °C and pyrolysis up to 1600 °C under N₂. The effect of Si₃N₄ contents on the microstructure of the BN/Si₃N₄ composite ceramics was investigated. Series of the BN/Si₃N₄ composite fibers containing various amounts of Si₃N₄ from 5 wt% to 25 wt% were fabricated. It was found that the crystallization of Si₃N₄ could be totally restrained when its content was below 25 wt% in the BN/Si₃N₄ composite ceramics at 1600 °C, and the amorphous BN/Si₃N₄ composite ceramic could be obtained with a certain ratio. The mean tensile strength and Young's modulus of the composite fibers correlated positively with the Si₃N₄ mass content, while an obvious BN (shell)/Si₃N₄ (core) was formed only when the Si₃N₄ content reached 25 wt%.

Investigation of polymer-derived Si-(B)-C-N ceramic/reduced graphene oxide composite systems as active catalysts towards the hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) is an attractive technology for chemical conversion of energy. Replacement of platinum with inexpensive and stable electrocatalysts remains a major bottleneck hampering large-scale hydrogen production by using clean and renewable energy sources. Here, we report electrocatalytically active and ultra-stable Polymer-Derived Ceramics towards HER. We successfully prepared ultrathin silicon and carbon (Si–C) based ceramic systems supported on electrically conducting 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets with promising HER activity by varying the nature and the composition of the ceramic with the inclusion of nitrogen, boron and oxygen. Our results suggest that oxygen-enriched Si-B-C-N/rGO composites (O-SiBCN/rGO) display the strongest catalytic activity leading to an onset potential and a Tafel slope of − 340 mV and ~ 120 mV dec⁻¹ respectively. O-SiBCN/rGO electrodes display stability over 170 h with minimal increase of 14% of the overpotential compared to ~ 1700% for commercial platinum nanoparticles. Our study provides new insights on the performance of ceramics as affordable and robust HER catalysts calling for further exploration of the electrocatalytic activity of such unconventional materials.

In-Situ Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposites in the Si-Ti-N and Si-Ti-C Systems

The pyrolysis (1000 °C) of a liquid poly(vinylmethyl-co-methyl)silazane modified by tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium in flowing ammonia, nitrogen and argon followed by the annealing (1000–1800 °C) of as-pyrolyzed ceramic powders have been investigated in detail. We first provide a comprehensive mechanistic study of the polymer-to-ceramic conversion based on TG experiments coupled with in-situ mass spectrometry and ex-situ solid-state NMR and FTIR spectroscopies of both the chemically modified polymer and the pyrolysis intermediates. The pyrolysis leads to X-ray amorphous materials with chemical bonding and ceramic yields controlled by the nature of the atmosphere. Then, the structural evolution of the amorphous network of ammonia-, nitrogen- and argon-treated ceramics has been studied above 1000 °C under nitrogen and argon by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. HRTEM images coupled with XRD confirm the formation of nanocomposites after annealing at 1400 °C. Their unique nanostructural feature appears to be the result of both the molecular origin of the materials and the nature of the atmosphere used during pyrolysis. Samples are composed of an amorphous Si-based ceramic matrix in which TiN_xC_y nanocrystals (x + y = 1) are homogeneously formed “in situ” in the matrix during the process and evolve toward fully crystallized compounds as TiN/Si₃N₄, TiN_xC_y (x + y = 1)/SiC and TiC/SiC nanocomposites after annealing to 1800 °C as a function of the atmosphere.

Boric Acid as a Coupling Agent for Preparation of Phenolic Resin Containing Boron and Silicon with Enhanced Char Yield

In this study, an innovative, facile, and low-cost method is developed to prepare phenolic resin (PR) containing boron and silicon (BSiPR). BSiPR is synthesized by a solvent-free, one-pot method using boric acid as the coupling agent instead of silane, and methyltriethoxysilane as the silicon source. The results show that boron and silicon elements are introduced into PR via BOC and BOSi structures. The char yield of the resulting resin at 800 °C is improved to 76%. The reasons for higher char yield are investigated. The formation of BOC can reduce the content of phenolic hydroxyl, which helps to decrease the weight loss. B₂ O₃ is also formed at 400 °C, and it can prevent the release of carbon oxides. Moreover, thermally stable BOSi and SiO structures remain stable during the pyrolysis. In addition, the mechanical and ablative properties of fiber-reinforced composites are also enhanced.

Crosslinking chemistry of poly(vinylmethyl-co-methyl)silazanes toward low-temperature formable preceramic polymers as precursors of functional aluminium-modified Si–C–N ceramics

Study of the crosslinking chemistry of liquid polysilazanes with alane hydride-based complex.

Molecular-Level Processing of Si-(B)-C Materials with Tailored Nano/Microstructures

The design of Si-(B)-C materials is investigated, with detailed insight into the precursor chemistry and processing, the precursor-to-ceramic transformation, and the ceramic microstructural evolution at high temperatures. In the early stage of the process, the reaction between allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS) and borane dimethyl sulfide is achieved. This is investigated in detail through solid-state NMR and FTIR spectroscopy and elemental analyses for Si/B ratios ranging from 200 to 30. Boron-based bridges linking AHPCS monomeric fragments act as crosslinking units, extending the processability range of AHPCS and suppressing the distillation of oligomeric fragments during the low-temperature pyrolysis regime. Polymers with low boron contents display appropriate requirements for facile processing in solution, leading to the design of monoliths with hierarchical porosity, significant pore volume, and high specific surface area after pyrolysis. Polymers with high boron contents are more appropriate for the preparation of dense ceramics through direct solid shaping and pyrolysis. We provide a comprehensive study of the thermal decomposition mechanisms, and a subsequent detailed study of the high-temperature behavior of the ceramics produced at 1000 °C. The nanostructure and microstructure of the final SiC-based ceramics are intimately linked to the boron content of the polymers. B₄ C/C/SiC nanocomposites can be obtained from the polymer with the highest boron content.

Molecular design of melt-spinnable co-polymers as Si-B-C-N fiber precursors

Two series of co-polymers with the general formula [B(C₂H₄SiCH₃(NH)_x(NCH₃)_y)₃]_n, i.e., composed of C₂H₄SiCH₃(NH)_x and C₂H₄SiCH₃(NCH₃)_y (C₂H₄ = CHCH₃, CH₂CH₂) building blocks in a well defined x : y ratio, have been synthesized by hydroboration of dichloromethylvinylsilane with borane dimethyl sulfide followed by successive reactions with lithium amide and methylamine according to controlled ratios. The role of the chemistry behind their syntheses has been studied in detail by solid-state NMR, FT-IR and elemental analyses. Then, the intimate relationship between the chemistry and the melt-spinnability of these polymers was discussed. By keeping x = 0.50 and increasing y above 0.50, i.e., obtaining methylamine excess, the co-polymers contained more ending groups and especially more tetracoordinated boron, thus allowing tuning very precisely the chemical structure of the preceramic polymer in order to meet the requirements for melt-spinning. The curing treatment under ammonia at 200 °C efficiently rendered the green fibers infusible before their subsequent pyrolysis under nitrogen at 1000 °C to generate Si-B-C-N ceramic fibers. Interestingly, it could be possible to produce also low diameter hollow fibers with relatively high mechanical properties for a further exploration as membrane materials.