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Sodium nitride
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<h2 id="synthesis">Synthesis</h2> <p>Sodium nitride can be synthesized in two different ways: by the <a href="/facts/Thermal_decomposition/Qqx9RqkW">thermal decomposition</a> of <a href="/facts/Sodium_amide/VbNjnp43">NaNH2</a> or by the direct reaction of the elements.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The most common way to successfully synthesize sodium nitride has been done by Dieter Fischer & Martin Jansen and Grigori Vajenine using the latter method. The first way is to introduce desired ratios of Na and N2 in gas phase separately and depositing them in a vacuum chamber on a cooled substrate, which is then heated to room temperate (298 K) to crystallize.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The second method is to react elemental sodium with plasma activated nitrogen on a metal surface. This synthesis can be further facilitated by introducing liquid Na-K alloy to the compound with the excess liquid removed and washed with fresh alloy. The solid is then separated from the liquid using a centrifuge. However Vajenine’s method is very air-sensitive and can decompose and combust rapidly, unless exposed to a pure oxygen (O2) environment.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="characteristics">Characteristics</h2> <p>Sodium nitride can be of reddish brown or dark blue color depending on the synthesis of the compound due to intrinsic properties.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> It shows no signs of decomposition after several weeks when at room temperature.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> The compound does not have a melting point as it decomposes back into its elemental forms as demonstrated using mass spectrometry around 360 K.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The estimated enthalpy of formation for the compound is +64 kJ/mol.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <p>Sodium nitride seems to be about 90% ionic at room temperature, but has the band gap typical for a semiconductor.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> It adopts the anti-ReO3 structure with a simple lattice made up of NNa6 octahedra.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> The compound has N−Na bond lengths of 236.6 pm.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> This structure has been confirmed through X-ray diffraction and more recently neutron diffraction on powder and single crystals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Sangster, J. (2004). "N-Na(Nitrogen-Sodium) System". Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. 25 (6): 560–563. doi:10.1007/s11669-004-0082-0. S2CID 97905377. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Sangster, J. (2004). "N-Na(Nitrogen-Sodium) System". Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. 25 (6): 560–563. doi:10.1007/s11669-004-0082-0. S2CID 97905377. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Sangster, J. (2004). "N-Na(Nitrogen-Sodium) System". Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. 25 (6): 560–563. doi:10.1007/s11669-004-0082-0. S2CID 97905377. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Sangster, J. (2004). "N-Na(Nitrogen-Sodium) System". Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. 25 (6): 560–563. doi:10.1007/s11669-004-0082-0. S2CID 97905377. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Vajenine, G. V., Hoch, C., Dinnebier, R. E., Senyshyn, A., Niewa, R. (2009). "A Temperature-dependent Structural Study of anti-ReO3-type Na3N: to Distort or not to Distort?". Zeitschrift für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie. 636 (1): 94–99. doi:10.1002/zaac.200900488.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Fischer, D., Jansen, M. (2002). "Synthesis and structure of Na3N". Angew Chem. 41 (10): 1755–1756. doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20020517)41:10<1755::AID-ANIE1755>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 19750706.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fischer, D.; Cancarevic, Z.; Schön, J. C.; Jansen, M. Z. (2004). "Synthesis and structure of K3N". Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 630 (1): 156. doi:10.1002/zaac.200300280.. 'Elusive Binary Compound Prepared' Chemical & Engineering News 80 No. 20 (20 May 2002) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Sangster, J. (2004). "N-Na(Nitrogen-Sodium) System". Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. 25 (6): 560–563. doi:10.1007/s11669-004-0082-0. S2CID 97905377. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Vajenine, G.V. (2007). "Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Properties of Na3N". Inorganic Chemistry. 46 (13): 5146–5148. doi:10.1021/ic700406q. PMID 17530752. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Vajenine, G. V., Hoch, C., Dinnebier, R. E., Senyshyn, A., Niewa, R. (2009). "A Temperature-dependent Structural Study of anti-ReO3-type Na3N: to Distort or not to Distort?". Zeitschrift für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie. 636 (1): 94–99. doi:10.1002/zaac.200900488.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>