Scalable preparation and characterization of GaN nanopowders with high crystallinity by soluble salts-assisted route

By using Na₃PO₄ as a dispersant, soluble salt-assisted route has been further developed to prepare high-crystalline GaN nanoparticles powder on a large scale through the direct nitridation of Ga-Na₃PO₄ mixture at 750–950 °C and followed by washing with water. The systematical characterizations including XRD, Raman, IR, TEM, XPS, and PL spectrum showed that the as-prepared nanopowders were composed of nanoparticles in diameters of 8–18 nm, hexagonal phase, pure GaN, and had a broad UV centered at 388 nm and blue emissions band centered at around 547 nm. Because of the utilization of the simple reaction between metallic Ga and NH₃, the preparation of pure GaN nanopowders becomes very easy, economical, and scalable, suggesting broad application in optoelectronic device material. The interesting results indicate the wide range of soluble salt-assisted route for promising industrial production of GaN nanopowders.

In this work, the soluble salt-assisted route has been further developed to prepare high-crystalline wurtzite GaN nanopowders (NPs) on a large scale through the direct nitridation of Ga-Na₃PO₄ mixture at 750–950 °C and followed by washing with water.