Defectsofpolymer-derivedSi-C-OfiberswereintensivelystudiedbytheSEMandTEMtechniquesandtheiroriginationswerealsodiscussedonthebasisoffactorsexperiments.Thedefectswerefoundmainlyintheformofstrumaes,pitsandsplitsonsurfacesaswellasmicroflawnetworks,porosityclustersandinclusionsinthebulk.Factorsexperimentsrevealthatanonuniformoraninsufficientcuringwouldresultinlarger-sizedstru-maesorinteriormicroflaws.Gasevolutionratesduetodifferentfiringrateshaveagreatinfluenceontheformationofinternalmicrofiawsorporosityclustersandsomeoxidation-inducedpitsorsplitsmaybeformedonsurfacesbe-causeoratraceofoxygenorwatervaporaccumulatedfromtheflowinginertatmosphereduringpyrolysis.