PRODUCTION OF ALUMINUM NITRIDE

PURPOSE:To produce the title AlN having a low content of Al2O3 by blowing gaseous N2 into a molten low m.p. alloy bath dissolving Al, and separating the generated and floated AlN. CONSTITUTION:The bath of the molten low m.p. alloy 1 (e.g., Hg-Al alloy) contained in an airtight vessel 2 is agitated by an impeller 4 to melt an Al block 3, gaseous N2 is blown in from a blowing pipe 5 and allowed to react with the Al in the bath, and the generated hyperfine AlN 7 is floated up onto the bath 1. The AlN 7 is recovered from a recovery hole 10, transferred onto a conveyor 11, and heated by a heater 12 to 500-1,000 deg.C in a gaseous H2 atmosphere. Consequently, the solid Al is converted into AlN, and Hg is sublimed and recovered. The AlN 7 is then supplied between rollers 13 through a sliding platform 14, compacted into a plate-shaped AlN 7', and then sintered by a heater 15.