A method for producing AlN crystals includes using at least one element, excluding Si, that satisfies a condition under which the element forms a compound with neither Al nor N or a condition under which the element forms a compound with any of Al and N provided that the standard free energy of formation of the compound is larger than that of AlN; melting a composition containing at least Al and the element; and reacting the Al vapor with nitrogen gas at a predetermined reaction temperature to produce AlN crystals.

Disclosed herein are structures comprising a titanium, zirconium, or hafnium powder particle with titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, or hafnium carbide (respectively) nano-whiskers grown directly from and anchored to the powder particle. Also disclosed are methods for fabrication of such structures, involving heating the powder particles and exposing the particles to an organic gas.

The method for growing an elongate element (5), notably a wire of nanowire or microwire type, includes forming a nucleation surface (3) having at least one germination site adopting the form of a germination hollow (7) and delimited at least partly by a mask (2), the at least one germination hollow (7) being situated at a distance from the mask (2), performing nucleation of a seed (4) intended to participate in the growth of the elongate element (5) on the at least one germination hollow (7), and growing the elongate element (5) from the seed (4).

A method for producing a material based on silicon nanowires is provided. The method includes the steps of: i) bringing into contact, in an inert atmosphere, a sacrificial support based on a halogenide, a carbonate, a sulfate or a nitrate of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or a transition metal having metal nanoparticles, with the pyrolysis vapours of a silicon source having a silane compound, by which silicon nanowires are deposited on the sacrificial support; and optionally ii) eliminating the sacrificial support and recovering the silicon nanowires produced in step ii).

The process for growing at least one semiconductor nanowire (3), said growth process comprising a step of forming, on a substrate (1), a nucleation layer (2) for the growth of the nanowire (3) and a step of growth of the nanowire (3). The step of formation of the nucleation layer (2) comprises the following steps: deposition onto the substrate (1) of a layer of a transition metal (4) chosen from Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta; nitridation of at least a part (2) of the transition metal layer so as to form a transition metal nitride layer having a surface intended for growing the nanowire (3).

A method and apparatus for producing AlN whiskers includes reduced incorporation of metal particles, an AlN whisker body, AlN whiskers, a resin molded body, and a method for producing the resin molded body. The method for producing AlN whiskers includes heating an Al-containing material in a material accommodation unit to thereby generate Al gas; and introducing the Al gas into a reaction chamber through a communication portion while introducing nitrogen gas into the reaction chamber through a gas inlet port, to thereby grow AlN whiskers on the surface of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrate placed in the reaction chamber.

A gas phase nanowire growth apparatus including a reaction chamber, a first input and a second input. The first input is located concentrically within the second input and the first and second input are configured such that a second fluid delivered from the second input provides a sheath between a first fluid delivered from the first input and a wall of the reaction chamber

Efficiency of producing polycrystalline silicon is improved. A silicon filament (11) is constituted by a rod-shaped member made of polycrystalline silicon. The polycrystalline silicon has an interstitial oxygen concentration of not less than 10 ppma and not more than 40 ppma. On a side surface, in a lengthwise direction, of the rod-shaped member, crystal grains each having a crystal grain size of not less than 1 mm are observed.

A method and apparatus for producing AlN whiskers includes reduced incorporation of metal particles, an AlN whisker body, AlN whiskers, a resin molded body, and a method for producing the resin molded body. The method for producing AlN whiskers includes heating an Al-containing material in a material accommodation unit to thereby generate Al gas; and introducing the Al gas into a reaction chamber through a communication portion while introducing nitrogen gas into the reaction chamber through a gas inlet port, to thereby grow AlN whiskers on the surface of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrate placed in the reaction chamber.

Methods for producing nanostructures from copper-based catalysts on porous substrates, particularly silicon nanowires on carbon-based substrates for use as battery active materials, are provided. Related compositions are also described. In addition, novel methods for production of copper-based catalyst particles are provided. Methods for producing nanostructures from catalyst particles that comprise a gold shell and a core that does not include gold are also provided.