Nanoparticles of wurtzite aluminum nitride from the nut shells

S B Qadri,E P Gorzkowski,R Amarasinghe,B B Rath,C R Feng

doi:10.1063/1.4967279

Abstract

Nanoparticles of aluminum nitride were produced from a thermal treatment of a mixture of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and shells of almond, cashew, coconuts, pistachio, and walnuts in a nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures in excess of 1450 °C. By selecting the appropriate ratios of each nut powder to Al2O3, it is shown that stoichiometric aluminum nitride can be produced by carbo-thermal reduction in nitrogen atmosphere. Using x-ray diffraction analysis, Raman scattering and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that aluminum nitride consists of pure wurtzite phase. Transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of nanoparticles and in some cases nanotubes of AlN.

Highlights

Nanoparticles of wurtzite aluminum nitride from the nut shellsAmarasinghe Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA (Received 4 September 2016; accepted 24 October 2016; published online 1 November 2016)
Aluminum nitride is a wide gap semiconductor with band gap between 6.01-6.05 eV at room temperature.[1]
Grown thin film crystalline aluminum nitride is used for surface acoustic wave sensors (SAWs) deposited on silicon wafers because of AlN’s piezoelectric properties.[3]. Another important application for AlN is its application as an RF filter for mobile phones, which is called a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR).[4]

Summary

Nanoparticles of wurtzite aluminum nitride from the nut shells

Amarasinghe Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA (Received 4 September 2016; accepted 24 October 2016; published online 1 November 2016)

INTRODUCTION

EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS