Solvothermal synthesis of AlN

Aluminum nitride is an important material due to its physical properties (electronic, thermal conductivity...). Different processes have been used for preparing such a material. The solvothermal synthesis is characterised by the use of a solvent in supercritical conditions in order to improve the reactivity of the precursors and to control the size of the crystallites. Using finely divided aluminum particles as precursor, a new process for the preparation of AlN has been optimised versus the thermodynamical parameters: pressure and temperature and the nature of the additive used for improving the kinetics of nitridation.