Under the urgent demand of high-performance silicon nitride substrate (Si 3 N 4 ), this paper reports a new gas transporting self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technology (GTST) to form Si 3 N 4 coating on silicon carbide (SiC) substrate with the addition of NH 4 Cl, which may partly be a candidate of high-performance Si 3 N 4 substrate. The effect of NH 4 Cl on the formation of the Si 3 N 4 coating is investigated, and the reaction mechanism with the participation of NH 4 Cl is discussed.The addition of the NH 4 Cl promotes the formation of the compact Si 3 N 4 coating with a thickness of 20-80 μm on both sides of SiC substrate. During the reaction, NH 4 Cl acts as a carrier to convert solid and liquid Si particles into gas phase SiCl 4 , and transport it to SiC substrate. Finally, SiCl 4 is nitride into Si 3 N 4 coating under the higher temperature generated by the combustion wave. Moreover, the research mechanism can provide a guide for other complex ceramic coatings by GTST.