Novel Rhenium Nitrides

Abstract

We report the synthesis, structure, and properties of novel bulk rhenium nitrides, hexagonal ${\mathrm{Re}}_{2}\mathrm{N}$, and ${\mathrm{Re}}_{3}\mathrm{N}$. Both phases have very high bulk moduli of $>400\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GPa}$, similar to the most incompressible binary transition-metal (TM) carbides and nitrides found to date. However, in contrast to other incompressible TM carbides and nitrides, ${\mathrm{Re}}_{3}\mathrm{N}$ is better placed for potential technological applications, as it can be formed at relatively moderate pressures (13--16 GPa) and temperatures (1600--2400 K).