Author(s)

Ran Guo¹, Xuemei Yi^1*, Xiongzhang Liu¹, Qingda Li¹, Takahiro Nomura²

¹College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi, China.
²Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Magnesium silicon nitride (MgSiN₂) was synthesized without any additives under a nitrogen gas flow (200 mL/min) using a nitriding method. The effects of temperature and holding time on its purity and morphology were investigated. A single-phase MgSiN₂ powder was obtained at 1350℃ for 1 h and 1250℃ for 11 h. However, the decomposition of MgSiN₂ occurred at 1450℃, suggesting that the optimum temperature for the preparation of MgSiN₂ from Mg-Si system was 1350℃. The phase purity, morphology, size of the product and elemental composition of the samples were detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy spectrometer (EDS), respectively. The evaporation of Mg and Si resulted in the formation of many voids in the blocky product. The temperature gradient promotes the growth of MgSiN₂ on the surface of massive products along the tip. The concentration gradient of Mg and Si vapors in the void resulted in the columnar growth of MgSiN₂.

Nitride Materials, Crystal Growth, X-Ray Diffraction, Mg-Si System

Guo, R. , Yi, X. , Liu, X. , Li, Q. and Nomura, T. (2018) Synthesis of MgSiN₂ Powders from the Mg-Si System. Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, 6, 68-79. doi: 10.4236/msce.2018.61008.