Abstract
The pure CrN powders oxidized to $Cr_2O_3$ noticeably above $850^{\circ}C$ in air. When these powders were sintered into bulk samples at $1500^{\circ}C$ under 40 atm of $N_2$ pressure, the CrN phase partly changed into the $Cr_2N$ phase, owing to the partial loss of nitrogen from CrN. When the bulk sample was heated at $1000-1200^{\circ}C$ for 100 hr under vacuum, the CrN phase also progressively changed into $Cr_2N$. At the same time, a relatively thin $Cr_2O_3$ layer formed on the bulk sample due to the reaction of chromium with residual oxygen in vacuum.
