Activation of combustion synthesis of aluminum nitride powder

The present paper addresses a possible route for the manufacturing of aluminum nitride powder by the combustion and thermal explosion modes of the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method. It was revealed that the small ammonium chloride NH4Cl additive to aluminum powder allows to produce an aluminum nitride powder with a good output at already rather low pressure of nitrogen. The influence of NH4Cl amount in mixture with aluminum, aluminum particle size, porosity of the pressed sample, and nitrogen pressure on the extent of aluminum conversion into aluminum nitride was experimentally studied. Experimental results are discussed on the basis of strength of the aluminum oxide or nitride film, existing on the aluminum particles surface.