A method of synthesizing aluminum nitride, the method includes: preparing mixed powder containing 0.5 to 8 wt % of zinc powder, 0.01 to 2 wt % of magnesium powder, 0.01 to 1 wt % of silicon powder, 0.01 to 1 wt % of copper powder, and a balanced amount of aluminum powder; preparing a feedstock of the mixed powder blended and filled with thermoplastic organic binder, by pressured kneading the mixed powder and the thermoplastic organic binder; forming granules of the feedstock by crushing the feedstock or forming a molded body of the feedstock via a powder molding method; and debinding the granules or the molded body by heating under a nitrogen gas atmosphere, and then performing direct nitridation between aluminum and a nitrogen gas at a temperature higher than a debinding temperature.

A method of synthesizing aluminum nitride, the method includes: preparing mixed powder containing 0.5 to 8 wt % of zinc powder, 0.01 to 2 wt % of magnesium powder, 0.01 to 1 wt % of silicon powder, 0.01 to 1 wt % of copper powder, and a balanced amount of aluminum powder; preparing a feedstock of the mixed powder blended and filled with thermoplastic organic binder, by pressured kneading the mixed powder and the thermoplastic organic binder; forming granules of the feedstock by crushing the feedstock or forming a molded body of the feedstock via a powder molding method; and debinding the granules or the molded body by heating under a nitrogen gas atmosphere, and then performing direct nitridation between aluminum and a nitrogen gas at a temperature higher than a debinding temperature.

Disclosed is a free atom nanotube growth technology capable of continuously growing long, high quality nanotubes. This patent application is a Continuation In Part of the Trekking Atom Nanotube Growth patent application #14037034 filed on Sep. 25, 2013. The current invention represents a departure from chemical vapor deposition technology as the atomic feedstock does not originate in the gaseous environment surrounding the nanotubes. The technology mitigates the problems that cease carbon nanotube growth in chemical vapor deposition growth techniques: 1) The accumulation of material on the surface of the catalyst particles, suspected to be primarily amorphous carbon, 2) The effect of Ostwald ripening that reduces the size of smaller catalyst particles and enlarges larger catalyst particles, 3) The effect of some catalyst materials diffusing into the substrate used to grow carbon nanotubes and ceasing growth when the catalyst particle becomes too small.

Disclosed is a free atom nanotube growth technology capable of continuously growing long, high quality nanotubes. This patent application is a Continuation In Part of the Trekking Atom Nanotube Growth patent application #14037034 filed on Sep. 25, 2013. The current invention represents a departure from chemical vapor deposition technology as the atomic feedstock does not originate in the gaseous environment surrounding the nanotubes. The technology mitigates the problems that cease carbon nanotube growth in chemical vapor deposition growth techniques: 1) The accumulation of material on the surface of the catalyst particles, suspected to be primarily amorphous carbon, 2) The effect of Ostwald ripening that reduces the size of smaller catalyst particles and enlarges larger catalyst particles, 3) The effect of some catalyst materials diffusing into the substrate used to grow carbon nanotubes and ceasing growth when the catalyst particle becomes too small.

In various embodiments, controlled heating and/or cooling conditions are utilized during the fabrication of aluminum nitride single crystals and aluminum nitride bulk polycrystalline ceramics. Thermal treatments may also be utilized to control properties of aluminum nitride crystals after fabrication.

The present invention is directed to crystalline solids having an empirical formula of M.sub.2A.sub.2X, wherein M is at least one Group IIIB, IVB, VB, or VIB metal, preferably Cr, Hf, Sc, Ti, Mo, Nb, Ta, V, Zr, or a combination thereof; wherein A is Al, Ga, Ge, In, Pb, or Sn, or a combination thereof; and each X is C.sub.xN.sub.y, where x+y=1. In some particular embodiments, the crystalline composition has a unit cell stoichiometry of Mo.sub.2Ga.sub.2C.

The present invention is directed to crystalline solids having an empirical formula of M.sub.2A.sub.2X, wherein M is at least one Group IIIB, IVB, VB, or VIB metal, preferably Cr, Hf, Sc, Ti, Mo, Nb, Ta, V, Zr, or a combination thereof; wherein A is Al, Ga, Ge, In, Pb, or Sn, or a combination thereof; and each X is C.sub.xN.sub.y, where x+y=1. In some particular embodiments, the crystalline composition has a unit cell stoichiometry of Mo.sub.2Ga.sub.2C.

Aluminum nitride particles used as a material of an aluminum nitride sintered compact are disclosed. The aluminum nitride particles may have a same crystal orientation. The aluminum nitride particles each have an aspect ratio of 3 or more, a plate-like shape, a planar length of 0.6 m or more and 20 m or less, and a thickness length of 0.05 m or more and 2 m or less.

Aluminum nitride particles used as a material of an aluminum nitride sintered compact are disclosed. The aluminum nitride particles may have a same crystal orientation. The aluminum nitride particles each have an aspect ratio of 3 or more, a plate-like shape, a planar length of 0.6 m or more and 20 m or less, and a thickness length of 0.05 m or more and 2 m or less.

An aluminum nitride powder containing a very small amount of coarse particles. An aluminum nitride powder which provides a resin composition having high affinity for resins and high moisture resistance.

The aluminum nitride powder has a volume average particle diameter D50 of 0.5 to 7.0 m in particle size distribution measured with a laser diffraction scattering particle size distribution meter, a D90/D50 ratio of 1.3 to 3.5 and a BET specific surface area of 0.4 to 6.0 m.sup.2/g and classified by removing coarse particles whose particle diameter is more than 5 times as large as D90. When resin paste obtained from this aluminum nitride powder and a resin is measured with a grind gauge, the upper limit particle diameter at which a streak is produced is not more than 5 times as large as D90. Since the classified aluminum nitride powder is surface modified, the aluminum nitride powder which has high filling property in a resin and is excellent in the moisture resistance and insulating property of a resin composition is obtained.