Effect of Polynuclear Complex Content on the Synthesis of Aluminum Nitride from Aluminum Polynuclear Complex

Aluminum nitride powders were synthesized from an aluminum polynuclear complex and glucose. Basic aluminum chloride (BAC) was used as the aluminum polynuclear complex. The effect of the polynuclear complex content on the nitridation reaction and particle size of the AIN powder synthesized was investigated. BAC solutions with various polynuclear complex contents were synthesized using an aqueous solution prepared from AlCl₃ and Al metal with various compositions. In this system, AlN was synthesized through γ-Al₂O₃ as an intermediate regardless of the polynuclear complex content. Polynuclear complex content affects the reactivity of nitridation and the particle size of the synthesized AIN powder. The reactivity of nitridation and specific surface area of the products increased with the polynuclear complex content. When the precursor with a polynuclear complex content of 94% was calcined at 1400°C, the AlN content reached 95%. Crystallite size by X-ray diffraction measurement and particle size calculated from the specific surface area for the products were in good agreement, indicating that AlN particles formed in the synthesis process are in the form of single crystals. AlN powder synthesized from the precursor with a polynuclear complex content above 80% had a fine particle size and narrow size distribution.