CARBOTHERMAL REDUCTION AND NITRIDATION OF ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE

Carbothermal reduction and nitridation of aluminium hydroxide was inve stigated by weight-loss measurement and X-ray diffraction. Experimenta l results indicated that aluminium hydroxide was first dehydrated to a luminium oxide and then reduced and nitrided to aluminium nitride. Alu minium oxynitride and Al2O were found to be intermediate products. The reaction rate was found to be increased by increasing the nitrogen fl ow rate, the molar ratio of C/Al(OH)(3), or reaction temperature. The rate was also found to be increased by decreasing the sample size, the grain sizes of carbon or aluminium hydroxide or initial bulk density. Empirical rate expressions of the conversion of AI(OH)(3) and carbon, as well as the yield of AIN, were also determined.