-SiAlON

isaseriesofsolidsolutioncompoundsof

-Si3N4.

Theformulaof

-SiAlON

isgenerallywrittenas Si6zAlzOzN8z (0ozo4.2), inwhichtheSiN bondsare replacedbyAlO bondsinthenumberof z (Ekstrm and Nygren 1992). Becauseof their excellentmechanicalandthermalstableproperties, SiAlON shave been recognized as the candidates for applications in cutting tools, wear components, metal forming tools, and other high temperature structural parts [2] (Riley 2000). Recently, SiAlONsdopedwithrareearthaswellasotheroxynitridematerialsshowattractiveopticalpropertie s[3](Xie and Hintzen 2013), andhavebeen reported as promising hos tmaterials for luminescent phosphor applied in white light emitting diodes [4](Rong-Jun and Naoto 2007). Generally, -SiAlONs are prepared bysolid-state reactions of AlNSi3N4Al2O3 at 41500 1C. However,it is difficult to obtain thesing leph asematerial [5](Ghosh, Vaynman et al. 1999), andthe -SiAlONgrains grow inevitably during the high temperature processing. Carbothermal reduction and the nitridation method (CRN )is economical process, the starting raw material can be natural clay minerals (suchaskaolinite [6] (Suehiro, H.Onuma et al. 2010), halloysite [7]) (Mackenzie, Meinhold et al. 1994) or waste mixture of -SiAlON, mullite, -Al2O3 and other compounds [69] (Tatl, Demir et al. 2007) (Li, Wakihara et al. 2007) Mackenzie (Kudyba-Jansen, Hintzen et al. 2001), (Meinhold et al. 1994). Furthermore, theres idual carbon and theSiCby-product are disadvantageous when the SiAlONs are used as phosphors in optical applications [10] (Suehiro, Hirosaki et al. 2004). Recently,nitridation of oxide precursor by ammoniah as attracted attention to prepare nitride and oxynitride powders [1013] (Suehiro, Hirosaki et al. 2004) (Yamakawa 2006) (Pawelec, Strojek et al. 2002) (Suehiro, H.Onuma et al. 2010) . Owing to the high reactivity of ammonia,(oxy) nitride

could beformed at lower temperature, thus the agglomeration of powderd ecreases accordingly. Anotherbenefit is that the post treatment of carbon residue could be avoided.Fine -SiAlON powdershave been successfully prepared by this method at1400 1500 1C [10,13] (Suehiro, Hirosaki et al. 2004) (Suehiro, H.Onuma et al. 2010). Synthesis of Eu-doped -SiAlON powder shaveal so been reported by the ammonia nitridation of Si3N4 powder dispersed in aluminum glycinegel; however, both -SiAlON and15R SiAlONexistasimpurities nin theproduct [14](Masubuchi, Yoshikawa et al. 2009). Solgel processisarelativelyeasyandeconomicalmethod to synthesizeuniformandhigh-

qualityprecursor,which hasn been used extensively inpreparation ofultra-fine oxide ceramic powders. However,few studies concerned about synthesis of oxynitride bycombination of the solgel process and ammonia nitridation. In this work,were port the ammonia reduction

nitridation synthesis of -SiAlONpowders from a silicaalumina gel precursor.A simple route to obtain single phase nano-sized -SiAlON powders is provided .

RFERENCES:
Ekstrm, T. and M. Nygren (1992). "SiAION Ceramics." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 75(2): 259-276. Ghosh, G., S. Vaynman, et al. (1999). "Microstructure of a sialon composite prepared by hot pressing and reactive sintering of -Si3N4 coated with amorphous Al2O3." Ceramics International 25(7): 649659. Kudyba-Jansen, A. A., H. T. Hintzen, et al. (2001). "Ca-/-sialon ceramics synthesised from fly ash preparation, characterization and properties." Materials Research Bulletin 36(78): 1215-1230. Mackenzie, K. J. D., R. H. Meinhold, et al. (1994). "Carbothermal formation of -sialon from kaolinite and halloysite studied by 29Si and 27Al solid state MAS NMR." Journal of Materials Science 29(10): 2611-2619. Masubuchi, Y., M. Yoshikawa, et al. (2009). "Preparation of Eu-doped - and 15R-SiAlONs by ammonia nitridation of the precursor obtained using aluminum glycine gel." Journal of Alloys and Compounds 487(12): 409-412. Pawelec, A., B. Strojek, et al. (2002). "Preparation of silicon nitride powder from silica and ammonia." Ceramics International 28(5): 495-501. Riley, F. L. (2000). "Silicon Nitride and Related Materials." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 83(2): 245-265. Rong-Jun, X. and H. Naoto (2007). "Silicon-based oxynitride and nitride phosphors for white LEDsA review." Science and Technology of Advanced Materials 8(7-8): 588. Suehiro, T., H.Onuma, et al. (2010). "Powder synthesis ofY-SiAlON and phosphorhost." Journal of Physical Chemistry C114(2): 13371342. its potential as a

Suehiro, T., N. Hirosaki, et al. (2004). "Powder Synthesis of Ca--SiAlON as a Host Material for Phosphors." Chemistry of Materials 17(2): 308-314. Xie, R.-J. and H. T. Hintzen (2013). "Optical Properties of (Oxy)Nitride Materials: A Review." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 96(3): 665-687.