Abstract
Cubic silicon carbide nanowires, β-SiC NWs, were prepared by the direct heating of a commercial silicon power containing Si nanoparticles and a piece of carbon up to 1200°C and under a nitrogen flow. The chemical composition of the nanowires was determined by EELS and their crystallographic structure by the mean of electron diffraction. When an amorphous boron nitride powder was added to the starting silicon powder, SiC@BN nanocables were obtained. They consist of a SiC nanowire core sheathed with hexagonal boron nitride.