Aluminum Nitride Prepared by Nitridation of Aluminum Oxide Precursors

Abstract

Aluminum nitride (AlN) powders were prepared from the oxide precursors aluminum nitrate, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum 2-ethyl-hexanoate, and aluminum isopropoxide (i.e., Al(NO3)3, Al(OH)3, Al(OH)(O2CCH(C2H5)(C4H9))2, and Al(OCH(CH3)2)3). Pyrolyses were performed in flowing dry NH3 and N2 at 1000°–1500°C. For comparison, the nitride precursors aluminum dimethylamide (Al(N(CH3)2)3) and aluminum trimethylamino alane (AlH3·N(CH3)3) were exposed to the same nitridation conditions. Products were investigated using XRD, TEM, EDX, SEM, and elemental analysis. The results showed that nitridation was primarily controlled by the water:ammonia ratio in the atmosphere. Single-phase AlN powders were obtained from all oxide precursors. Complete nitridation was not obtained using pure N2, even for the non-oxide precursors.