Aluminum oxynitride

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Crystal structure
Crystal structure of aluminum oxynitride
__ Al 3+      __ O 2− / N 3−
Crystal system

cubic spinel ( strand 3 m (No. 227) ) Template: room group / 227
General
Surname Aluminum oxynitride
Ratio formula Al 23-1 / 3X O 27 + X N 5-X
(0.429 <X <2)
Brief description

colorless, transparent solid

External identifiers / databases
CAS number 12633-97-5
Wikidata Q421667
properties
Molar mass ≈ 1122.59 g mol −1
Physical state

firmly

density

3.69 g cm −3

Melting point

2150 ° C

safety instructions
GHS hazard labeling
no classification available
As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Aluminum oxynitride is a transparent ceramic material consisting of aluminum , oxygen and nitrogen . It is marketed under the tradename ALON and is described in US Patent 4,520,116. The material remains solid up to 1200 ° C and is harder than glass . When molded and polished as window glass for armored vehicles, the current material cost (2005) is approximately $ 15,000-23,000  per square meter .

It is currently the crucial outer layer of experimental transparent armor that is being considered by the US Air Force as a window material for armored vehicles. Other applications include semiconductors and off-the-shelf internals.

The articles are usually made from pressed, cast, or molded powder. The green compacts formed in this way are sintered in the oven and then polished. The method of polishing has a decisive effect on the impact resistance of the armor.

A related material is aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), also known as corundum .

"Transparent aluminum"

ALON is often associated with the fictitious material "transparent aluminum". This was first mentioned in the science fiction film Star Trek IV: Back to the Present by chief engineer Montgomery Scott and is used as a window material in Star Fleet spaceships. The patent for the ceramic material was filed in 1985 and the film was produced in 1986. The story of the journey through time also takes place in 1986.

The material was also featured in the Jurassic World movie . It was used as the transparent shell of the gyrosphere, a fictional tourist attraction of the park, but it was destroyed when it encountered the man-made Indominus Rex.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ US Army Materials Technology Laboratory: Aluminum Oxynitride Spinel (ALON): a review , PDF The lattice parameter depends on the exact composition and is approximately 7.94 Å .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Product description from ALON at Surmet (PDF; 192 kB)
  3. ↑ This substance has either not yet been classified with regard to its hazardousness or a reliable and citable source has not yet been found.
  4. ↑ ALON product page
  5. ↑ Patent US4520116 : Transparent aluminum oxynitride and method of manufacture. ‌
  6. ↑ a b stripes.com: Air Force testing lighter, transparent ALON armor , October 30, 2005, accessed December 20, 2013.
  7. ↑ Article Transparent Aluminum in Memory Alpha (Science Fiction)