A polysilastyrene foam was prepared by thermally induced phase separation. The polymer was dissolved in hot cyclohexane or benzene and then anisotropically frozen from a cold plate. Polysilanes are prepared from dichlorosilanes through the Wurtz coupling reaction. Polysilastyrene was chosen because it has a Tg of °C and is commercially available. Freeze drying afforded a polysilastyrene foam with a anisotropic herring bone pore structure. The foam could be pyrolyzed to afford a silicon carbide foam

Whinnery, L. L.; Even, W. R.; Beach, J. V.; Loy, D. A. Engineering the macrostructure of thermally induced phase separated polysilane foams. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. (1996), 34(8), 1623-1627.

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