Metal-containing ceramic nanocomposites synthesized from metal acetates and polysilazane

Metal-containing (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn and Ag) polysilazane precursors are synthesized via one-step chemical reaction of metal acetates with poly(vinyl)silazane (Durazane 1800) at room temperature under argon atmosphere. The ATR-FTIR spectra of the synthesized metal-containing precursors reveal that the metal acetates used in the synthesis catalyze the hydrosilylation reaction between -Si-H and -Si-CHCH2 groups in polysilazane. The XPS and XRD characterizations indicate that the metallic phase is directly generated in precursors after the reaction of Durazane 1800 polymer with Fe(CH3COO)2, Co(CH3COO)2·4H2O, CuCH3COO, Cu(CH3COO)2, AgCH3COO. Ceramic nanocomposites containing either metal or metal silicide are obtained after the pyrolysis of the synthesized metal-containing precursors at 700 ​°C and 1100 ​°C under argon atmosphere.