Creating Reactivity with Unstable Endmembers using Pressure and Temperature: Synthesis of Bulk Cubic Mg0.4 Fe0.6 N

Abstract

Alloy and nitride solid solutions are prominent for structural, energy and information processing applications. There are frequently however barriers to making them. We remove barriers to reactivity here using pressure with a new synthetic approach. We target pressures where the reasons for cubic endmember nitride instability can become the driving force for cubic nitride solid solution stability. Using this approach we form a novel rocksalt Mg0.4 Fe0.6 N solid solution at between 15 and 23 GPa and up to 2500 K. This is a system where, neither an alloy nor a nitride solid solution form at ambient conditions and bulk MgN and FeN endmembers do not form, either at ambient or at high pressure. The new nitride is formed, by removing endmember lattice mismatch with pressure, allowing a stabilizing redistribution of valence electrons upon heating. This approach can be employed for a range of normally unreactive systems. Mg, Fe and enhanced nitrogen presence, may also indicate a richer reaction chemistry in our planets interior.

Keywords: angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction; nitrides; precession electron diffraction; pressure and temperature; reactivity.