Oxidation Behavior And Mechanism Of Aluminum Oxynitride (Alon) At Elevated Temperatures

The oxidation behavior and mechanism of aluminum oxynitride (AlON) powder exposed to air at elevated temperatures between 800 degrees C and 1300 degrees C was investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron spin resonance (ESR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and simultaneous thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and mass spectrometry techniques (TG-DTA-MS). The weight of AlON gradually increases to a maximum value at 1150 degrees C and then decreases with further heating. Meanwhile, AlON powder undergoes chemical changes, as evidenced by lattice expansion, and turns eventually into alumina. ESR spectra reveal the occurrence of lone pair electrons in the oxidized products and the intensity of corresponding resonance signal increases before disappearing with the increase in temperature. Combined with the results of NMR and TG-DTA-MS, the measured data suggest that Al-N in [AlO3N] tetrahedron and [AlO5N] octahedron are gradually oxidized into Al-O-N group with lone pair electrons, which causes continuous weight gain and lattice expansion. Further oxidation at higher temperatures results in alumina and N-2.