Porous Polymer Derived Ceramics Decorated with In-situ Grown Nano-structures

Cellular SiOC and SiCN ceramic foams containing both open and closed porosity were fabricated from preceramic polymers by varying parameters such as the type of the precursor, pyrolysis temperature and atmosphere. Nanowires were obtained, directly upon heating, on the surface of the macro-porous components by catalyst-assisted reactions occurring during pyrolysis. Cobalt chloride was used as catalyst source. An influence of the pyrolysis temperature and atmosphere on the development of the 1D nanostructures was found, in dependence also of the type of precursor used.