A benzene-thermal synthesis of powdered cubic zirconium nitride

Powdered zirconium nitride (ZrN) has been prepared via a benzene-thermal synthesis via the reaction of anhydrous zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl4) and lithium nitride (Li3N) at a temperature of 380–400 °C. The product was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the results show the mole ratio of Zr/N is 1:0.87. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern can be indexed to the cubic cell of ZrN with the lattice constant a=4.5675 A˚. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images indicate that average particle size is about 180 nm in diameter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]