Direct Reaction between Copper and Nitrogen at High Pressures and Temperatures

Structure and Properties of High-Entropy Nitride Coatings

The interest in nitride coatings based on high-entropy alloys (HEAs) has increased rapidly in the last decade. According to a number of papers, such high-entropy nitride (HEN) coatings have a single-phase structure and properties that significantly exceed those of simpler nitride systems. These properties include high hardness, wear resistance, oxidation resistance and thermal stability. It is believed that these distinctive properties are due to the high entropy of mixing, which increases with an increase in the number of elements in the composition. However, comparison with various binary and ternary systems shows that better properties are not typical of each HEA-based coating, and the effect of the number of elements competes with other factors that can make even more pronounced contributions to the structure and properties of the coating. Because of fragmentation of data on the structure and properties of high-entropy coatings, a unified concept of alloying is needed. This review compares the methods for obtaining HEN coatings, describes their structural features and analyzes the main properties, such as hardness, wear resistance and oxidation resistance, in order to establish an understanding of the influence of the number of elements and their role in the composition of coatings.

Pressure-stabilized high-energy-density material YN10

Polynitrogen compounds have been intensively studied for potential applications as high energy density materials, especially in energy and military fields. Here, using the swarm intelligence algorithm in combination with first-principles calculations, we systematically explored the variable stoichiometries of yttrium-nitrogen compounds on the nitrogen-rich regime at high pressure, where a new stable phase of YN₁₀adoptingI4/msymmetry was discovered at the pressure of 35 GPa and showed metallic character from the analysis of electronic properties. In YN₁₀, all the nitrogen atoms weresp²-hybridized in the form of N₅ring. Furthermore, the gravimetric and volumetric energy densities were estimated to be 3.05 kJ g^-1and 9.27 kJ cm^-1respectively. Particularly, the calculated detonation velocity and pressure of YN₁₀(12.0 km s^-1, 82.7 GPa) was higher than that of TNT (6.9 km s^-1, 19.0 GPa) and HMX (9.1 km s^-1, 39.3 GPa), making it a potential candidate as a high-energy-density material.

High-Pressure Studies of Trimethylsilane Azide by Raman Scattering and Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

We have reported the high-pressure behavior of energetic material trimethylsilane azide ((CH₃)₃SiN₃, TMSiN₃) by in situ Raman scattering and synchrotron angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction (ADXRD) measurements in diamond anvil cells with a pressure up to ∼40 GPa at ambient temperature. The analyses of Raman spectra showed two liquid-liquid phase transitions at 0.13 and 7.9 GPa. The XRD results verified that TMSiN₃ remained in a liquid state throughout the phase transitions. In the pressure range of 0.13-2.6 GPa, the distortion of the Si-C₃ bond and the shortening of the bond between azide group and silicon atom lead to the first phase transition. The second transition is ascribed to the rotation of methyl group at 7.9 GPa. With further compression, the azide groups become increasingly asymmetric, and completely amorphous at 33.8 GPa. This paper is useful to understand the behavior of azide group and the molecular structural evolution of organic azide under high pressure. The unique high-pressure behavior of the azide group in TMSiN₃ may be useful for improving in the formation of the polynitrogen compound with azides.

Predicted stable high-pressure phases of copper-nitrogen compounds

The nitrogen-rich compounds are promising candidates for high-energy-density applications, owing to the large difference in the bonding energy between triple and single/double nitrogen bonds. The exploration of stable copper-nitrogen (Cu-N) compounds with high-energy-density has been challenging for a long time. Recently, through a combination of high temperatures and pressures, a new copper diazenide compound (P6₃/mmc-CuN₂) has been synthesized (Binnset al2019J. Phys. Chem. Lett.101109-1114). But the pressure-composition phase diagram of Cu-N compounds at different temperatures is still highly unclear. Here, by combining first-principles calculations with crystal structure prediction method, the Cu-N compounds with different stoichiometric ratios were searched within the pressure range of 0-150 GPa. Four Cu-N compounds are predicted to be thermodynamically stable at high pressures,Pnnm-CuN₂, two CuN₃compounds with theP-1 space group (named as I-CuN₃and II-CuN₃) andP2₁/m-CuN₅containing cyclo-N₅^-. Finite temperature effects (vibrational energies) play a key role in stabilizing experimentally synthesizedP6₃/mmc-CuN₂at ∼55 GPa, compared to our predictedPnnm-CuN₂. These new Cu-N compounds show great promise for potential applications as high-energy-density materials with the energy densities of 1.57-2.74 kJ g^-1.

Pressure-Induced Transition from Spin to Superconducting States in Novel MnN2

The connection between magnetism and superconductivity has long been discussed since the discovery of Fe-based superconductors. Here, we report the discovery of a pressure-induced transition from a spin to a superconducting state in novel MnN₂ based on ab initio calculations. The superconducting state can be obtained in two ways: the first is the pressure-induced transition from an AFM-P2₁/m to an NM-I4/mmm phase at 30 GPa, while the other is the pressure-induced transition from an FM-I4/mmm phase to magnetic vanishing at 14 GPa, which leads to a structural transition with the distortion of octahedrons to tetragonal pyramids. NM-I4/mmm-MnN₂ is superconductive with T _c ≈ 17.6 K at 0 GPa. In the second way, electronic structure calculations indicate that the system transforms from a high-spin state to a low-spin state due to increasing crystal-field splitting, causing disappearance of magnetism; more electron occupancy around the Fermi level drives the emergence of superconductivity. Remarkably, I4/mmm-MnN₂ can achieve mutual spin-to-superconducting state transformation by pressure. Moreover, the AFM-P2₁/m-MnN₂ phase is extremely incompressible with the hardness above 20 GPa. Our results provide a reasonable and systematic interpretation for the connection between magnetism and superconductivity and give clues for achieving spin-to-superconducting switching materials with certain crystal features.

Realization of an Ideal Cairo Tessellation in Nickel Diazenide NiN2: High-Pressure Route to Pentagonal 2D Materials

Most of the studied two-dimensional (2D) materials are based on highly symmetric hexagonal structural motifs. In contrast, lower-symmetry structures may have exciting anisotropic properties leading to various applications in nanoelectronics. In this work we report the synthesis of nickel diazenide NiN₂ which possesses atomic-thick layers comprised of Ni₂N₃ pentagons forming Cairo-type tessellation. The layers of NiN₂ are weakly bonded with the calculated exfoliation energy of 0.72 J/m², which is just slightly larger than that of graphene. The compound crystallizes in the space group of the ideal Cairo tiling (P4/mbm) and possesses significant anisotropy of elastic properties. The single-layer NiN₂ is a direct-band-gap semiconductor, while the bulk material is metallic. This indicates the promise of NiN₂ to be a precursor of a pentagonal 2D material with a tunable direct band gap.

IrN4 and IrN7 as potential high-energy-density materials

Transition metal nitrides have attracted great interest due to their unique crystal structures and applications. Here, we predict two N-rich iridium nitrides (IrN₄ and IrN₇) under moderate pressure through first-principles swarm-intelligence structural searches. The two new compounds are composed of stable IrN₆ octahedrons and interlinked with high energy polynitrogens (planar N₄ or cyclo-N₅). Balanced structural robustness and energy content result in IrN₄ and IrN₇ being dynamically stable under ambient conditions and potentially as high energy density materials. The calculated energy densities for IrN₄ and IrN₇ are 1.3 kJ/g and 1.4 kJ/g, respectively, comparable to other transition metal nitrides. In addition, IrN₄ is predicted to have good tensile (40.2 GPa) and shear strengths (33.2 GPa), as well as adequate hardness (20 GPa). Moderate pressure for synthesis and ambient pressure recoverability encourage experimental realization of these two compounds in near future.

Preparation of iron(IV) nitridoferrate Ca4FeN4 through azide-mediated oxidation under high-pressure conditions

Transition metal nitrides are an important class of materials with applications as abrasives, semiconductors, superconductors, Li-ion conductors, and thermoelectrics. However, high oxidation states are difficult to attain as the oxidative potential of dinitrogen is limited by its high thermodynamic stability and chemical inertness. Here we present a versatile synthesis route using azide-mediated oxidation under pressure that is used to prepare the highly oxidised ternary nitride Ca₄FeN₄ containing Fe⁴⁺ ions. This nitridometallate features trigonal-planar [FeN₃]⁵⁻ anions with low-spin Fe⁴⁺ and antiferromagnetic ordering below a Neel temperature of 25 K, which are characterised by neutron diffraction, ⁵⁷Fe-Mössbauer and magnetisation measurements. Azide-mediated high-pressure synthesis opens a way to the discovery of highly oxidised nitrides.

High-valent metal nitrides are difficult to stabilise due to the high thermodynamic stability and chemical inertness of N₂. Here, the authors employ a large volume press to prepare an iron(IV) nitridoferrate Ca₄Fe^IVN₄ from Fe₂N and Ca₃N₂ via azide-mediated oxidation under high pressure conditions.

Prediction of new thermodynamically stable ZnN2O3 at high pressure

Pressure has become a useful parameter to prepare novel functional materials. Considering the excellent performance of ZnO and Zn₃N₂ and the formation of strong Zn-O, Zn-N, and N-O bonds in the known compounds, we explored potential Zn-N-O ternary compounds with interesting properties. With the aid of first-principles swarm-intelligence search calculations, we identified a hitherto unknown ZnN₂O₃ ternary compound with a symmetry of P2₁. Its remarkable feature is that N pairs interconnect the distorted Zn-centered decahedrons, in which the Zn atom forms bonds with one N and six O atoms. The compression of ZnO + NO₂ + N₂ might be an easy way to synthesize ZnN₂O₃. Electronic property calculations disclose that ZnN₂O₃ is a wide band gap semiconductor with a gap value of 3.48 eV, which is larger than those of ZnO and Zn₃N₂. Moreover, the high-pressure phase diagram of Zn-N binary compounds was explored with a wide range of chemical compositions. Two metallic N-rich zinc nitrides (e.g., ZnN₂ and ZnN₄) are proposed, containing intriguing N₂ dimers and zigzag N chains. ZnN₂ exhibits superconducting properties, and becomes the first example of superconductor in zinc nitrides. Our current results unravel the unusual stoichiometry of Zn-N-O compounds and provide further insight into the diverse electronic properties of zinc nitrides under high pressure.

High-Pressure Synthesis of Metal-Inorganic Frameworks Hf4 N20 ⋅N2 , WN8 ⋅N2 , and Os5 N28 ⋅3 N2 with Polymeric Nitrogen Linkers

Polynitrides are intrinsically thermodynamically unstable at ambient conditions and require peculiar synthetic approaches. Now, a one‐step synthesis of metal–inorganic frameworks Hf₄N₂₀⋅N₂, WN₈⋅N₂, and Os₅N₂₈⋅3 N₂ via direct reactions between elements in a diamond anvil cell at pressures exceeding 100 GPa is reported. The porous frameworks (Hf₄N₂₀, WN₈, and Os₅N₂₈) are built from transition‐metal atoms linked either by polymeric polydiazenediyl (polyacetylene‐like) nitrogen chains or through dinitrogen units. Triply bound dinitrogen molecules occupy channels of these frameworks. Owing to conjugated polydiazenediyl chains, these compounds exhibit metallic properties. The high‐pressure reaction between Hf and N₂ also leads to a non‐centrosymmetric polynitride Hf₂N₁₁ that features double‐helix catena‐poly[tetraz‐1‐ene‐1,4‐diyl] nitrogen chains [−N−N−N=N−]_∞.

Amorphous polymerization of nitrogen in compressed cupric azide

Metal azides have attracted increasing attention as precursors for synthesizing polymeric nitrogen. In this article, we report the amorphous polymerization of nitrogen by compressing cupric azide. The ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show that crystalline cupric azide transforms into a disordered network composed of singly bonded nitrogen at a hydrostatic pressure of 40 GPa and room temperature. The transformation manifests the formation of a π delocalization along the disordered Cu-N network, thus resulting in a semiconductor-metal transition. The estimated heat of formation of the amorphous polymeric nitrogen system is comparable to conventional high-energy-density materials. The amorphization provides an alternative route to the polymerization of nitrogen under moderate conditions.

Metallic and anti-metallic properties of strongly covalently bonded energetic AlN5 nitrides

High pressure can stimulate numerous novel physical effects which are not observed under ambient conditions, such as the electronic redistribution and delocalization phenomenon in strongly covalently bonded nitrides. Through first principles simulations, we report a new N-rich aluminum nitride AlN5, which crystallizes with the space group P1[combining macron] at 20 GPa and then transforms into the I4[combining macron]2d phase at 60 GPa. We have identified and proved the delocalization effects of π electrons in the strongly covalent Lewis poly-nitrogen structure via the one-dimensional particle in a box mechanism, which contributes to the metallization and stability of the system. This implies that not all strongly covalently bonded systems with highly localized electrons exhibit nonmetallic properties in III-V main group nitrides. Furthermore, pressure results in the hybridization configuration mutation from sp2 in the P1[combining macron] phase to a mixture of sp2 and sp3 hybridization in the I4[combining macron]2d phase, which leads to phase transition from metal to insulator. With increasing pressure, the band gap increases abnormally, exhibiting anti-metallization induced by the strong hybridization. Interestingly, the P1[combining macron] and I4[combining macron]2d structures are simultaneously accompanied by a high energy density and hardness, which enable them to have a greater ability to resist elasticity, plastic deformation and external force destruction in potential applications. Their energy density and hardness are up to 3.29 kJ g-1 and 15.2 GPa in the P1[combining macron] phase but especially 6.14 kJ g-1 and 31.7 GPa in the I4[combining macron]2d phase.