Synthesis of silicon carbide from coal fly ash and activated carbon powder

Sulardjaka¹, Jamasri¹, M.W. Wildan¹ and Kusnanto²

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, ²Department of Engineering Physics, Gadjah Mada University. Sleman 55281, Jogjakarta (Indonesia).

Received on August 08, 2009 and accepted on October 15, 2009

ABSTRACT

Micrometer silicon carbide powder has been synthesized from coal fly ash and activated carbon powder. Calcinated Suralaya fly ash used as SiO2 resources on carbothermal reduction process with activated carbon powder. Particle size of activated carbon powder is < 32 mm. Synthesis process has been carried out on temperature 1200 oC and and 1300 oC on vacuum atmosphere under argon flow. Holding time for all synthesis is 2 hour. Synthesis products were analyzed by XRD with Cu-Ka radiation, FT – IR spectrophotometer and SEM fitted with EDAX. SiC powder with particle size about 5 mm were successfully synthesized at temperature 1300 oC.

Keywords : Silicon carbide, coal fly ash, carbon powder.