Nature has provided some sophisticated examples of complex but effective material design for mechanical strength, toughness, thermal insulation, and fluid conduction. These designs can be replicated to produce ceramic materials using wood as a template. 'Biomorphic' SiC ceramics can be formed through the controlled pyrolysis of wood to provide a carbon scaffold for infiltration by a Si-containing liquid or gas. Silicon reacts with the carbon scaffold to form SiC with a complex cellular microstructure reminiscent of that of the wood. The porous SiC structure or its carbon scaffold, with its open channels, provides a useful scaffold for further infiltration resulting in a new class of composite materials. Unlike reinforcement by particles, whiskers or fibers, where dispersion and alignment challenges are many, bioSiC and bioC provide a template for infiltration of a metal for enhancing mechanical robustness, electrical or thermal conductivity. The work reported here is a collaboration among investigators from four institutuions: Universidad de Sevilla, Northwestern University, Universidad Polytécnica de Madrid, and Ioffe Physical Technical Institute.


Sponsors

National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research - (DMR-0710630, DMR-0244258)

Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, España - (MAT 2007-29278-E, MAT 2003-05202, MAT 2002-10590)

Comunidad de Madrid: ESTRUMAT - Materiales Estructurales Avanzados - (S-0503/MAT-0077)

Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 07-03-91353NNF_a)

Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Program P_03_02)

Use of Advanced Photon Source/Argonne National Laboratory. US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357


Publications

Processing

Bautista, M.A., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., Martinez-Fernandez, J., Bravo-Leon, A., & Lopez-Cepero, J.M., Optimization of the fabrication process for medium density fiberboard (MDF)-based biomimetic SiC. International Journal of Refractory Metals & Hard Materials 27 (2), 431-437 (2009). doi:10.1016/j.ijrmhm.2008.10.016

Pappacena, K.E., Gentry, S.P., Wilkes, T.E., Johnson, M.T., Xie, S., Davis, A., & Faber, K.T., Effect of pyrolyzation temperature on wood-derived carbon and silicon carbide. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., in press (2009). doi:10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2009.04.040

Varela-Feria, F.M., Ramirez-Rico, J., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., Martinez-Fernandez, J., & Singh, M., Reaction-formation mechanisms and microstructure evolution of biomorphic SiC. J. Mater. Sci. 43 (3), 933-941 (2008). doi:10.1007/s10853-007-2207-4

de Arellano-Lopez, A.R. et al., Biomorphic SiC: A new engineering ceramic material. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology 1 (1), 56-67 (2004). doi:10.1111/j.1744-7402.2004.tb00155.x

Singh, M., Martinez-Fernandez, J., & de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., Environmentally conscious ceramics (ecoceramics) from natural wood precursors. Curr. Opin. Solid State Mat. Sci. 7 (3), 247-254 (2003). doi:10.1016/j.cossms.2003.09.004

Feria, F.M.V., Lopez, A.R.D., & Fernandez, J.M., Ceramic wood: fabrication and properties of biomorphic silicon carbide. Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio 41 (4), 377-384 (2002). Article

Elasticity and Fracture Properties

Kardashev, B.K., Orlova, T.S., Smirnov, B.I., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., & Martinez-Fernandez, J., Young's modulus and internal friction of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite based on the sapele wood precursor. Physics of the Solid State 51 (4), 750-753 (2009). doi:10.1134/S1063783409040179

Kardashev, B.K., Orlova, T.S., Smirnov, B.I., Wilkes, T.E., & Faber, K.T., Elasticity and Inelasticity of the SiC/Al-13Si-9Mg Biomorphic Metal Ceramics. Physics of the Solid State 50 (10), 1882-1887 (2008). doi:10.1134/S1063783408100168

Kaul, V.S. & Faber, K.T., Nanoindentation analysis of the elastic properties of porous SiC derived from wood. Scripta Materialia 58 (10), 886-889 (2008). doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2008.01.018

Presas, M. et al., Microstructure and fracture properties of biomorphic SiC. International Journal of Refractory Metals & Hard Materials 24 (1-2), 49-54 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.ijrmhm.2005.07.003

Kaul, V.S., Faber, K.T., Sepulveda, R., Lopez, A.R.D., & Martinez-Fernandez, J., Precursor selection and its role in the mechanical properties of porous SiC derived from wood. Materials Science and Engineering a-Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing 428 (1-2), 225-232 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.msea.2006.05.033

Gutierrez-Mora, F., Goretta, K.C., Varela-Feria, F.M., Lopez, A.R.A., & Fernandez, J.M., Indentation hardness of biomorphic SiC. International Journal of Refractory Metals & Hard Materials 23 (4-6), 369-374 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.ijrmhm.2005.05.020

Presas, M. et al., Microestructure and mechanical properties of biomorphic SiC obtained from eucalyptus. Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio 44 (6), 363-367 (2005). Article

Presas, M. et al., Mechanical behavior of biomorphic Si/SiC porous composites. Scripta Materialia 53 (10), 1175-1180 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2005.07.033

Robledo, M.J.L., Ferrer, R.E.S., Leon, A.B., Fernandez, J.M., & Lopez, A.R.D., Mechanical properties of porous biomorphic SiC. Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio 44 (5), 318-323 (2005). Article

de Arellano-Lopez, A.R. et al., Erosion and strength degradation of biomorphic SiC. Journal of the European Ceramic Society 24 (5), 861-870 (2004). doi:10.1016/S0955-2219(03)00321-2

de Arellano-Lopez, A.R. et al., Biomorphic SiC: A new engineering ceramic material. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology 1 (1), 56-67 (2004). Article

Smirnov, B.I. et al., Temperature dependences of Young's modulus of biomorphic silicon carbide ceramics. Physics of the Solid State 45 (3), 482-485 (2003). doi:10.1134/1.1562234

Munoz, A., Fernandez, J.M., & Singh, M., High temperature compressive mechanical behavior of joined biomorphic silicon carbide ceramics. Journal of the European Ceramic Society 22 (14-15), 2727-2733 (2002). doi:10.1016/S0955-2219(02)00138-3

Deformation

Sepulveda, R., Robledo, M.J.L., Lopez, A.R.D., Fernandez, J.M., & Dominguez, C., Biomorphic SiC: applications as structural reinforcement. Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio 44 (5), 357-362 (2005). Article

Fernandez, J.M. et al., Microstructure-mechanical properties correlation in siliconized silicon carbide ceramics. Acta Materialia 51 (11), 3259-3275 (2003). doi:10.1016/S1359-6454(03)00157-5

Martinez-Fernandez, J., Varela-Feria, F.M., Lopez-Pombero, S., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., & Singh, M., Creep resistant biomorphic silicon-carbide based ceramics. 25th Annual Conference on Composites, Advanced Ceramics, Materials, and Structures: A 22 (3), 135-143 (2001). doi:10.1002/9780470294680.ch15

Thermal and Electrical Properties

Popov, V.V., Orlova, T.S., Ramirez-Rico, J., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., & Martinez-Fernandez, J., Electrical Properties of the SiC/Si Composite and the Biomorphic SiC Ceramic Fabricated from Spanish Beech Wood. Physics of the Solid State 50 (10), 1819-1825 (2008). doi:10.1134/S1063783408100053

Orlova, T.S. et al., Electrical properties of bio-SiC and Si components of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 49 (2), 205-210 (2007). doi:10.1134/S1063783407020035

Pappacena, K.E., Faber, K.T., Wang, H., & Porter, W.D., Thermal conductivity of porous silicon carbide derived from wood precursors. Journal of the American Ceramic Society 90 (9), 2855-2862 (2007). doi:10.1111/j.1551-2916.2007.01777.x

Smirnov, I.A. et al., Heat capacity of silicon carbide at low temperatures. Physics of the Solid State 49 (10), 1835-1838 (2007). doi:10.1134/S1063783407100046

Smirnov, I.A. et al., Heat capacity and velocity of sound in the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 49 (10), 1839-1844 (2007). doi:10.1134/S1063783407100058

Shelykh, A.I. et al., Electrical and thermoelectric properties of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite at high temperatures. Physics of the Solid State 48 (2), 229-232 (2006). doi:10.1134/S1063783406020065

Shelykh, A.I. et al., Linear expansion coefficient of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 48 (2), 216-217 (2006). doi:10.1134/S106378340602003X

Parfen'eva, L.S. et al., Anisotropy of the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite based on a white-eucalyptus biocarbon template. Physics of the Solid State 48 (12), 2281-2288 (2006). doi:10.1134/S1063783406120079

Parfen'eva, L.S. et al., Thermal and electrical properties of a white-eucalyptus carbon preform for SiC/Si ecoceramics. Physics of the Solid State 48 (3), 441-446 (2006). doi:10.1134/S1063783406030061

Parfen'eva, L.S. et al., Thermal conductivity of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite, a new cellular ecoceramic. Physics of the Solid State 47 (7), 1216-1220 (2005). doi:10.1134/1.1992594

Orlova, T.S., Smirnov, B.I., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., Fernandez, J.M., & Sepulveda, R., Anisotropy of electric resistivity of Sapele-boased biomorphic SiC/Si composites. Physics of the Solid State 47 (2), 229-232 (2005). doi:10.1134/1.1866398

Bio-materials

Gonzalez, P. et al., A new generation of bio-derived ceramic materials for medical applications. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A 88A (3), 807-813 (2009). doi:10.1002/jbm.a.31951

Lopez-Alvarez, M. et al., Marine Precursors-Based Biomorphic SiC Ceramics. Advanced Materials Forum Iv 587-588, 67-71 (2008). doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.587-588.67

Torres-Raya, C. et al., Fabrication, chemical etching, and compressive strength of porous biomimetic SiC for medical implants. Journal of Materials Research 23 (12), 3247-3254 (2008). doi:10.1557/JMR.2008.0392

Borrajo, J.P. et al., Cytotoxicity study of biomorphic SiC ceramics coated with bioactive glass. Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio 45 (2), 109-114 (2006). Article

Gonzalez, P. et al., New biomorphic SiC ceramics coated with bioactive glass for biomedical applications. Biomaterials 24 (26), 4827-4832 (2003). doi:10.1016/S0142-9612(03)00405-8

Composites

Wilkes, T.E., Stock, S.R., DeCarlo, F., Xiao, X., & Faber, K.T., X-ray micro-computed tomography of beech wood and biomorphic C, SiC, and Al/SiC composites. Phil. Mag. 89 (17), 1373-1389 (2009). doi:10.1080/14786430902956457

Wilkes, T.E., Pastor, J.Y., Llorca, J., & Faber, K.T., Mechanical properties of wood-derived silicon carbide aluminum-alloy composites as a function of temperature. Journal of Materials Research 23 (6), 1732-1743 (2008). doi:10.1557/JMR.2008.0197

Orlova, T.S. et al., Electrical properties of bio-SiC and Si components of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 49 (2), 205-210 (2007). doi:10.1134/S1063783407020035

Smirnov, I.A. et al., Heat capacity and velocity of sound in the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 49 (10), 1839-1844 (2007). doi:10.1134/S1063783407100058

Parfen'eva, L.S. et al., Anisotropy of the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite based on a white-eucalyptus biocarbon template. Physics of the Solid State 48 (12), 2281-2288 (2006). doi:10.1134/S1063783406120079

Shelykh, A.I. et al., Linear expansion coefficient of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite. Physics of the Solid State 48 (2), 216-217 (2006). doi:10.1134/S106378340602003X

Shelykh, A.I. et al., Electrical and thermoelectric properties of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite at high temperatures. Physics of the Solid State 48 (2), 229-232 (2006). doi:10.1134/S1063783406020065

Wilkes, T.E., Young, M.L., Sepulveda, R.E., Dunand, D.C., & Faber, K.T., Composites by aluminum infiltration of porous silicon carbide derived from wood precursors. Scripta Materialia 55 (12), 1083-1086 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2006.08.040

Orlova, T.S., Smirnov, B.I., de Arellano-Lopez, A.R., Fernandez, J.M., & Sepulveda, R., Anisotropy of electric resistivity of Sapele-boased biomorphic SiC/Si composites. Physics of the Solid State 47 (2), 229-232 (2005). doi:10.1134/1.1866398

Parfen'eva, L.S. et al., Thermal conductivity of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite, a new cellular ecoceramic. Physics of the Solid State 47 (7), 1216-1220 (2005). doi:10.1134/1.1992594

Presas, M. et al., Mechanical behavior of biomorphic Si/SiC porous composites. Scripta Materialia 53 (10), 1175-1180 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2005.07.033