Reactive mechanical alloying synthesis of nanocrystalline cubic zirconium nitride

Zirconium nitride powders with rock salt structure (gamma-ZrNx) are prepared by mechanical milling of a mixture of Zirconium and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) powders. The products are analysed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The formation mechanism of gamma-ZrNx by ball milling technique is investigated in detail. N atoms diffuse from amorphous BN (alpha-BN) into Zr to form Zr(N) solid solution alloy, then the Zr(N) solid solution alloy decomposes into gamma-ZrNx. No ZrB2 is observed in the as-milled samples or the samples annealed at 105 degrees C for 2 h.