Morphology-controlled synthesis of quasi-aligned AlN nanowhiskers by combustion method: Effect of NH4Cl additive

Uniform quasi-aligned AlN nanowhiskers grown in the reacting Al particles have been successfully prepared in high content by combustion synthesis using NH4Cl as a morphology-controlled promoting additive. FE-SEM and TEM images show that the nanowhiskers, which are single-crystalline hexagonal wurtzite AlN growing along [0 0 1] direction, have diameters in the range of 80–170 nm and a length of several to several tens of micrometers. The effect of NH4Cl on the growth of nanowhiskers was discussed. It was found that NH4Cl not only controlled the products’ morphology, but also changed the combustion behavior and nitridation mechanism in the combustion synthesis process.