SOME PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM CARBIDE POWDER PREPARED BY THE PYROLYSIS OF ALKYLALUMINUM

Ultrafine aluminum carbide (Al4C3) powders with crystallite sizes of ( 40 nm were prepared by the pyrolyses of alkylaluminums, i.e., trimethy laluminum (Al(CH3)(3): TMAL), triethylaluminum (Al(C2H5)(3): TEAL), tr iisobutylaluminum (Al(i-C4H9)(3): TIBAL) at a temperature between 950 degrees and 1100 degrees C, Although the pyrolysis of TMAL produced Al 4C3 at 950 degrees C, the pyrolysis temperature of TEAL to produce Al4 C3 was raised up to 1100 degrees C, The pyrolysis of TIBAL at 1100 deg rees C produced not only crystalline Al4C3 but also amorphous oxycarbi de. The TEAL-derived powder had the highest true density (2.89 g . cm( -3) or 97% of the theoretical density) among the three kinds of powder s.