Synthesis of meso/macroporous aluminum nitrides via aluminum alloy ceramization

Abstract

A novel and simple route, nitridization/ceramization of aluminum alloys, was introduced to produce meso/macroporous AlN. The meso/macroporous AlN were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherm at −195.7 °C. Results show that pores with diameters of 2 nm to hundreds of nanometers are distributed inside the materials. The surface areas of the materials can be as large as 142.9 m² g⁻¹ and the cumulative volume of pores with average radii between 1 nm and 100 nm is 0.40 cm³ g⁻¹. The formation mechanism of pores was suggested to be that the pores would be left when the Mg₃N₂ was removed in nitridization products of Al and Mg alloy particles.