Combustion synthesis of α–Si₃N₄ whiskers

α–Si₃N₄ whiskers were fabricated first through combustion synthesis (CS) technology. The as-synthesized crystals with [001] as the elongated axis contain a large amount of linear defects including (a + b)-type, (a + b + c)-type, and c-type of dislocations. The growth of α–Si₃N₄ whiskers is mainly controlled by vapor-condensation (VC) mechanism. Special additive plays an important role in promoting the growth of α–Si₃N₄ whiskers and suppressing the phase transformation of α–Si₃N₄ to β–Si₃N₄.