Effects of AIN Additions and Atmosphere on the Synthesis of Cubic Boron Nitride

Aluminum nitride was found to act as the catalyst for the synthesis of cubic BN by sealing the mixture of hexagonal BN and AIN in a pressure cell under the inert or reducing atmosphere. No conversion of hexagonal BN to cubic BN was observed under pressures below 7×10 ⁹ Pa (7 GPa, 70 kbar) without AIN addition. All hexagonal BN could be completely converted to cubic BN under 6.5 GPa at 1600°C by the addition of 20 mol% AIN. The cubic BN thus synthesized was a typical tetrahedron (grain size ≅2 μm). The pressure‐temperature diagram for the synthesis of cubic BN was determined at >7 GPa and T <1700°C.