The production of ultrafine SiC powder from a SiC bulk (containing 10wt% Si) was examined by the arc-plasma method under different atmospheres such as argon, argon and hydrogen, argon and helium, and argon and nitrogen. No melting of SiC bulk occurred during arcplasma irradiation, and even pure argon gas was effective for the production of the ultrafine powder. The SiC powder produced has the structure of -SiC, compared to -structure of the bulk SiC. The average particle size of the SiC powder produced decreased to one-half of the value when hydrogen or helium was added to argon. Smaller particles of SiC are formed by the arc-plasma gases with a large thermal conductivity. The present results confirm that sublimation is a major process in the production of ultrafine SiC powder. The SiC powder is found to be effective as a photocatalyst for the decomposition of water.