Optimization of the Thermal Radiation Extinction of Silicon Carbide in a Silica Powder Matrix

In order to optimize the infrared extinction of a SiC-powder in a silica powder matrix, Mie scattering calculations for spherical SiC-particles have been performed. A single oscillator-model was applied to calculate the optical constants of SiC. Taking into account the particle size distribution of a commercially available SiC-powder, its wavelength dependent extinction coefficient was calculated. The result is in very good agreement with the extinction spectrum of the powder derived by infrared optically measurements. Mie scattering theory also was used to find the optimum mean SiC-particle diameter of a mixture of 20% SiC-powder and 80% silica powder. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.