CrN

Chromium nitride · Chromium(III) nitride

Chromium nitride is a metallic binary compound of chromium and nitrogen that is widely studied for its potential in advanced protective coatings.

CrN
Crystal structure of CrN
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Chromium nitride

Chromium nitride is a metallic transition metal nitride that exhibits significant structural complexity. Its ability to exist in numerous stable configurations makes it a subject of extensive investigation for materials scientists interested in hard, wear-resistant phases.

Because it is considered near-hull in thermodynamic stability, this compound is recognized as a viable candidate for synthesis. Its metallic nature and robust lattice structure are critical factors for its performance in industrial applications requiring durability.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Chromium nitride, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

Metallic / not reported

Energy Above Hull

0.023 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Near hull (likely stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

478
4 databases, 44 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CrN. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: medium

Hull Spread

0.000 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

2
jarvis, materials_project

Space Group Consensus

All match
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting CrN.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where Chromium nitride is used.

Hard coatings for cutting toolsWear-resistant surfacesCorrosion-resistant thin films
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

1 patent reference CrN or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
11377729Post-processing method for improving anti-wear and friction-reducing properties of CrN coating
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Chromium nitride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is CrN?

Chromium nitride is a metallic binary compound of chromium and nitrogen that is widely studied for its potential in advanced protective coatings.

More questions
What is CrN used for?
Chromium nitride (CrN) is used in hard coatings for cutting tools, wear-resistant surfaces, and corrosion-resistant thin films.
What is the band gap of CrN?
Chromium nitride (CrN) is computed to be metallic (no band gap) in the reported DFT structures.
Is CrN a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Computed band structures report no gap, so it is metallic.
Is CrN thermodynamically stable?
Chromium nitride (CrN) has a lowest energy above hull of 0.023 eV/atom (near hull (likely stable)).
How many polymorphs of CrN are known?
478 structures of CrN are reported across 4 databases, spanning 44 distinct space groups.
How is CrN synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for CrN include sol gel, solid state (5 procedures documented).
What elements does CrN contain?
Chromium nitride (CrN) contains Cr and N (2 elements).
Where does the data for CrN come from?
CrN data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a standalone transition metal nitride, Chromium nitride serves as a foundational reference point for the study of binary metal-nitrogen systems, demonstrating the characteristic metallic behavior and structural adaptability expected of this material class.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

Analyze CrN in the Lattice Graph platform

Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.

Explore the Platform →