Low-temperature chemical synthesis of nanostructured indium nitride from indium hydroxide

Abstract

Nitridation of oxides is a conventional method to prepare nitrides. However, this method has a disadvantage of requiring a high reaction temperature. Additive-assisted nitridation is an effective route to synthesize nitrides at low temperature. In this study, hexagonal phase indium nitride (InN) nanomaterials have been successfully synthesized through the nitridation of indium hydroxide by sodium amide in a stainless-steel autoclave at a low temperature (250–300°C), in which sodium thiosulfate acts as an additive. Scanning electron microscope image shows that the as-obtained InN sample is composed of nanoparticles and nanosheets. The influences of the reaction temperature on the as-obtained product have also been investigated.