Synthesis of porous nano-sized AlN by chemical vapor synthesis

We report the synthesis of AlN powders by the chemical vapor synthesis of an AlCl(3)-NH(3)-N(2)-H(2) system. The starting material was gasified AlCl(3), generated using a preheating system. AlCl(3) gas was transported to a tube furnace in NH(3)-N(2)-H(2) atmosphere. We synthesized highly crystalline AlN at over 900 degrees C. The average size of the spherical AlN particles decreased from 250 to 40 nm with increasing reaction temperature in the tube furnace. Porous nano-sized particles synthesized at high reaction temperatures have low oxygen contents and high thermal stability.