| abstract |
Aluminum nitride whiskers are produced by reduction of the alumina with carbon in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 1800 to 2000 ° C. in the presence of a growth catalyst containing a solvent-element, according to a process which essentially comprises the step of periodically advancing, through the working area, a horizontal furnace provided with a graphite heater, countercurrently with a flow of nitrogen, a container of graphite provided with a mixture of alumina, carbon and iron carbonyl, as a growth catalyst, present in an amount capable of ensuring the implementation of the VLS mechanism and in that the time of passage of the container in the work area is in the range of 20 to 120 minutes. |