Apr 20th, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Title
Time Dependence of the Synthesis of Dysprosium Nitride Using a Reactive Milling Technique
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Darryl Butt
Information
Currently oxides, materials such as silicon or aluminum bonded with oxygen, are used for a variety of high temperature processes. Nitrides, similar materials bonded with nitrogen, are stable at much higher temperatures and conduct heat up to ten times more efficiently. Synthesizing nitrides can be difficult; requiring many processing steps and high temperature devices. Materials with high vapor pressures may evaporate and contaminate furnace equipment when subjected to these processing routes. A closed-system, room temperature process for synthesizing such materials was explored by the Advanced Materials Laboratory in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. Dysprosium nitride (DyN) was produced by a reactive milling method. 99.9% pure dysprosium metal flake was milled in a high energy planetary ball mill in a high purity nitrogen atmosphere. The influence of milling time on the extent of the reaction was explored by milling dysprosium metal for various times. Phase analysis was performed using x-ray diffraction techniques. It is demonstrated that phase pure DyN can be produced at near room temperature.