Effects of Fe2O3 addition on the nitridation of silicon powder

The reaction of silicon powder and nitrogen was studied in the range of 1300-1400 C. When an addition of Fe2O3 was more than 0.8wt%, the reaction was linear and compared to samples with no Fe2O3, the reaction velocity increased 5 to 10 times. The reactions were mediated by the process of peeling and cracking in a thin layer of Si2N4 formed on the silicon particles or on the surface of the Fe-Si melts. As the addition of Fe2O3 increased, the reaction activation energy for highly pure samples decreased. Fe2O3 which exceeded the Si3N4 solubility limits was finally converted to d-Fe.