SiC ceramic materials with a woodlike microstructure had been fabricated by carbothermal reduction
reactions of silica with wood or carbonized wood. The different microstructures of templates had a significant impact on
the biomimetic synthesis of porous SiC ceramics. The infiltration efficiency is determined by the apparent porosity,
pore size and its distribution uniformity. The infiltration efficiency for pine is best,and the weight gain percents for
wood or carbonized wood template are respectively 66. 5% and 76. 8% after a one鄄shot infiltration. The weight gain
percent for pine is 156. 8%, and the cumulative amount of SiO2 absorption for pine was much higher than for teak or
katsura, after 3 cycles of infiltration鄄firing. The microstructures of templates, cycle numbers and fire temperatures in鄄
fluenced ceramization. The residual carbon ratio for C/ SiC template from pine is only 15wt%, less than one third of
that from teak or katsura through 3 cycles and under the firing temperature of 1 600益. The residual carbon ratio in
the biomorphic porous SiC ceramic with the porosity of 71vol% is close to zero and the carbon cell wall is transformed
to SiC porous ceramic cell wall from pine template through 4 cycles and under the firing temperature of 1 600益.