Polymer derived ceramic foams were prepared with the replica method using filler free and filler loaded polysiloxane containing slurries for the impregnation of open celled polyurethane foams. A significant change in mechanical strength, porosity and surface energy, i.e., wettability after thermal treatment between 130 °C (crosslinking) and 1000 °C (pyrolysis) in argon atmosphere was observed. While low-temperature pyrolyzed foams are elastic and hydrophobic, foams pyrolyzed at high temperatures are brittle and hydrophilic, and they possess higher compression strength. Changes of these properties were correlated with the polymer-to-ceramic transformation.
Keywords: ceramic foams; mechanical properties; polymer derived ceramics; replica technique.