Self-templated synthesis of polycrystalline hollow aluminium nitride nanospheres

Polycrystalline hollow AlN nanospheres with diameters ranging from 20 to 200 nm and shell thickness of about 10 nm were successfully synthesized through the reaction of irregular Al nanopowder with a CH₄-NH₃ mixture at around 1000 °C by the self-templated method. The products were well characterized by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurements. The photoluminescence properties of the hollow AlN nanospheres showed the routine blue emissions for AlN nanoparticles as well as an unusual green emission at around 533 nm, indicating the potential for luminescent devices. The synthesis mechanism was reasonably speculated and further supported by the similar synthesis of hollow AlN nanospheres from regular Al particles.