The pyrolysis process of a polytitanocarbosilane into SiC/TiC ceramics: An XPS study

Abstract
The pyrolysis process of polytitanocarbosilane, precursor for SiC/TiC ceramics, has been followed step by step using x-ray photoclectron spectroscopy. This study shows that Ti–O bonds, present in the precursor, are stable up to 700 °C. Above this temperature, Ti–C bonds, precursor for TiC network, start to form. From a detailed analysis of Ti(2p) and Si(2p) peaks, the formation of intermediate species such as SiCxOy and TiCxOy has been detected.