Combustion synthesis of silicon carbide assisted by a magnesium plus polytetrafluoroethylene mixture

Abstract In this study, the use of SiC combustion synthesis for immobilization of 14 C was considered. Due to the low exothermicity of the reaction between silicon and graphite, a highly exothermic mixture (magnesium and polytetrafluoroethylene) was used both as a chemical oven and activate additive in the mixture. With this configuration the reaction between graphite and silicon was initiated and propagated on the whole sample. The self-propagating high temperature synthesis samples were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction.