Co-precipitate precursor-based synthesis of new interstitial niobium molybdenum nitrides

Abstract

A simple method of preparation of interstitial niobium molybdenum nitride solid solutions in the series Nb1−x Mo x N y (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) has been developed. It is based on direct ammonolysis of precursors resulting from co-precipitation of aqueous solutions of the appropriate common metal salts. A study of the effect of method conditions on the outcome of the procedure is presented. Compounds in this series were prepared as single phases by nitridation at 1,173 K followed by rapid cooling of the samples. Similarly to the individual nitrides NbN and Mo2N, all the Nb1−x Mo x N y compounds in this series have the rock-salt crystal structure in which the metal atoms are in an fcc arrangement with N atoms occupying octahedral interstitial positions. The materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry under oxygen flow.