Thermal analysis on the amorphous carbon nitride prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

The differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry-mass spectroscopy (DTA-T G-MS) study on the thermal stability of CNx prepared by magnetron sputterin g was carried out under Ar atmosphere. The results show that the decomposit ion processes could be divided into two stages. One spans from room tempera ture (RT) to 800 degrees C. The nitrogen loss as well as the weight loss in the a-CNx could be attributed to the evaporation of C+(m/z = 12), CN+(m/z = 26), O-2(+)(m/z = 32), CO2+(m/z = 44), NO2+(m/z = 46), and C2N2+(m/z = 52 ), as detected by mass spectroscopy. The other is above 800 degrees C, duri ng which the breakage of C-N bonds and the oxidation of C and N mainly acco unts for the weight loss. The weight loss of a-CNx is 7% for the first stag e and 42.8% for the second, suggesting the a-CNx to be more stable at low t emperature.