Combustion synthesis of AlN nanowhiskers with different metallic catalysts

AlN nanowhiskers were successfully fabricated via combustion synthesis route in the presence of different metallic catalysts (Ni, Cu or Fe). FESEM and HRTEM images show that the nanowhiskers, which are single-crystalline hexagonal wurtzite AlN growing along the [001] direction, have diameters in the range of 130-200 nm and lengths in several micrometers. The effects of metallic catalysts on the growth of AlN nanowhiskers were discussed. It was found that metallic catalysts could not only promote the growth of nanowhiskers by vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, but also able to dominate the morphologies of the products.