From Unstable Precursors to Metastable Nitrides: Azidothermal Synthesis of Binaries and Beyond

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This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports Professor Edward Gillan at the University of Iowa to explore large scale, facile, and reproducible synthetic methodologies towards metal nitride and pnictide systems. The chemistry of metal azide to nitride (azidothermal) conversion reactions will be investigated. Because of the energetic nature of the azide ligand, moderate decomposition temperatures allowing access to metastable materials are expected. Through careful adjustments in the non-aqueous solvent, this method is expected to produce discrete nanostructured products that have interesting optical and magnetic properties. Nanoparticles and nanocrystallites of bulk inorganic solids exhibit size dependent properties, such as lower melting points, higher energy gaps, and non-thermodynamic structures that are distinct from bulk materials. This research aims to access stable nitride structures with controlled structural, optical, and magnetic properties through viable and reproducible low-temperature chemical syntheses. Specifically, the chemistry of metal azides will be developed for the low-temperature synthesis of nitrides. Graduate students, undergraduate students and postdoctoral associates will receive training in synthetic materials methodology and in determining the physical properties of microscale and nanoscale nitride materials.