Continuous Nanophase C/SiC for EM Shielding

The Phase I demonstrated the ability to make continuous nanophase carbon/silicon carbide (C/SiC) composites with open porosity by chemical modification of nanoporous organic solid gels. We expect the resulting Gel-derived Trabecular Solid (GTS) to demonstrate good electromagnetic (EM) shielding properties, as a consequence of combined conductive and dielectric domains. These materials have a continuous, highly branched C-strut and C-wall substructure with open pores, whose entire surface, internal and exterior, is well coated with “SiC” (i.e., an amorphous Si-C-O-N ceramic glass containing nano-sized SiC crystals) which is derived from pyrolysis of Si-based polymers containing alkyl side-groups.  This kind of microstructure, where the conductive phase is a continuous ensemble of interconnected small, thin walls, beams, and struts, rather than isolated domains, is similar to that of some of the best reported EM shielding composites made from distribution of carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix to form a network of conductive elements.  The EM shielding properties these new C-core/SiC-shell materials should be quite good and will be measured in the microwave portion of the EM spectrum for varied core-shell compositions.