Hot Press Sintering Behavior of Nano-Sized AlN Powders

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a stoichiometric compound with the hexagonal wurtzite structure. AlN has excellent thermal conductivity and good properties as electronic insulator. It displays good mechanical resistance up to elevated temperatures and is resistant against corrosion by molten metals. Bulk AlN may therefore be used as a refractory structural material as well as a substrate for high power microelectronic devices. However, it is very difficult for sintering high-density AlN at lower temperature than 1800ºC. Nano-sized AlN powders were sintered by hot press sintering at low temperature of 1500~1700ºC and mechanical properties were investigated. β-AlN and β-Al2O3 were detected when the sintering temperature is 1600ºC. The phase transition β-AlN to α-AlN was discovered at a 1700ºC sintering temperature. Relative density and average grain size were increasing with the increasing of sintering temperature, and fracture form is intercrystalline crack in 1500ºC and transcrystalline crack in 1700ºC. 97.3% relative density and 850nm average grain size were deserved at 1700ºC.