A two-dimensional Monte Carlo procedure was applied to the study of the formation of silicon carbide on a graphite substrate by a chemical vapor reaction (CVR) method. The CVR method is based on a carbothermal reduction of silica and silicon carbide is known to be one of the products of reaction between carbon and silica. The diffusion and reaction of SiO2 and SiO is also important in the carbothermal reduction of silica. The Monte Carlo simulation is well suited for such study because Monte Carlo simulation has become widely used as a powerful tool for studying the statistical properties of atomic and molecular systems. The model employed maps the microstructure onto a discrete triangular lattice. A two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation procedure has been used to investigate the effect of the sintering temperature and graphite substrate on the microstructural evolution of the silicon carbide conversion layer and the behavior of the initial-stage sintering.

Keywords: SiC, graphite, simulation, Monte Carlo