Technical note Formation of SiC - AlN solid solution via high energy ball milling and subsequent heat treatment

Abstract

The preparation of SiC - AlN solid solution from mixture of AlN and SiC powders via high energy ball milling and subsequent heat treatment has been investigated. The microstructure development of the powder mixtures was monitored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, and TEM. Ball milling AlN and SiC powders at ambient temperature resulted in the mixing of AlN and SiC on a nanometre scale. The XRD peaks of AlN and SiC closed up during milling process. After milling for 20 h and annealing at 2100°C for 1 h, the resulting product was composed of 2H and 4H type SiC - AlN solid solution.