Carbothermal synthesis of nanocrystalline aluminum nitride powders

A new precursor technique for the carbothermal synthesis of nanocrystalline AlN powder has been developed. A precursor that contains an intimate mixtu re of nanocrystalline Al2O3 and carbon has been synthesized by using a chem ical pyrophoric reaction. The formation of ALN starts at 1473 It, and compl ete conversion has been observed at temperatures >1673 K, The synthesized A LN particles are nanocrystalline (<100 nm) in size.