Large scale synthesis and photoluminescent property of ultra-long AlN nanowires via a NH4Cl assisted chemical vapor reaction method

Abstract

Mass production of ultralong aluminum nitride (AlN) nanowires were performed via an ammonium chloride assisted chemical vapor reaction route in flowing N2 gas at 1000 °C without metallic catalyst using aluminum powders as starting material. The as-prepared products were characterized through FE-SEM, XRD, FR-IR and HRTEM analysis. The as-synthesized AlN nanowires were 10–50 nm in diameter and hundreds of microns in length. The nanowires had hexagonal single crystalline structure with little defects, exhibited strong violet-green luminescent properties. Growth process of the AlN nanowires was also discussed in details.