Process for preparing high purity aluminum nitride

摘要

Process for producing high purity aluminum nitride powder by reacting aluminum sulfide with gaseous ammonia at an intermediate temperature (about 700 DEG C.) and holding at that temperature until an intermediate product (AlxNySz) is formed where x, y, and z are integers; then further heating to a temperature above 1100 DEG C. and reacting with gaseous ammonia. A high purity, low oxygen containing, free flowing powder is produced. A posttreatment using a carbon source such as graphite further reduces the oxygen content. The oxygen content can be further reduced by reacting the aluminum nitride formed with carbon at about 1600 DEG C.