Salt-assisted combustion synthesis of β-SiAlON fine powders

► A novel salt-assisted method of producing submicron-size β-SiAlON powders directly is proposed. ► NaCl absorbs the heat generated by the reaction, offers pure single-phase product. ► NaCl acts as a diffusion barrier between β-SiAlON particles, which limits the growth of β-SiAlON crystals.