The proposal requests funding for some of expenses to permit the PI to accept Swiss financial assistance for the performance of experimental research at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. The research concerns solar powered chemical reactors for the formation of nitrides from carbothermic reduction of the corresponding oxide under a nitrogen atmosphere. Among candidate materials of commercial importance are AIN, Si3N4, TaN, TiN, and ZrN. Reactions for the formation of these compounds occur at high temperatures, hence require high quality heat sources. Solar-powered reactions would lead to considerable energy savings. As many of these processes will be studied as time allows.
