A bulk layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) polycrystals was synthesized on a boron nitride crucible surface by heating Al chunks with 5 mol% of bismuth at 1273 K for 3 h under NH3 gas flow. The fragments of the layer were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The platelet grains of AlN with a size of 0.1–1.0 μm and having preferred orientation of the c‐axis perpendicular to the layer were formed at the crucible side. Nanotubes 6–15 μm long and about 20–100 nm thick grew on the gas phase side of the layer.

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