Effective Parameters on Microwave-Assisted Combustion Synthesis of AlN-SiC Composites Using Solid Source of Nitrogen

The synthesis of AlN-SiC composites was investigated through the combustion reaction between aluminum, Si3N4 (the solid source of nitrogen) and carbon powders. The combustion reaction was initiated through the ignition of the powder mixture by microwave heating in a domestic oven and the desired ceramics were produced. To achieve higher degree of conversion, some parameters were altered during the synthesis. These included the time of mixing, the amount of carbon in the reactant mixtures and the weight of compacts. The productivity of the reaction wasn’t affected dramatically by alteration in the first two parameters, but increasing the weight of samples made it possible to achieve more complete combustion and higher degree of conversion to products. The combustion temperature of the system was studied theoretically and experimentally. The microstructure and phases of products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively.