IrN
IrN is a metallic iridium nitride compound known for its structural complexity and metastable nature in high-pressure research.
About IrN
IrN is a binary metallic compound composed of iridium and nitrogen. Its electronic character is defined by its metallic nature, lacking a band gap, which distinguishes it from many typical nitride ceramics. While it is thermodynamically unstable relative to its elemental components, it has attracted significant interest in materials science due to its complex structural landscape. The compound exhibits a high degree of structural diversity, with hundreds of reported configurations across various databases, suggesting a rich potential for exploration under specific synthesis conditions. Its existence is primarily studied in the context of high-pressure physics, where such transition metal nitrides are investigated for their unique bonding and mechanical properties.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for IrN, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting IrN.
Applications
Where IrN is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about IrN, answered from cross-validated data.
What is IrN?
IrN is a metallic iridium nitride compound known for its structural complexity and metastable nature in high-pressure research.
What is IrN used for?
What is the band gap of IrN?
Is IrN a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is IrN thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of IrN are known?
How is IrN synthesized?
What elements does IrN contain?
Where does the data for IrN come from?
How It Compares
As a member of the transition metal nitride family, IrN occupies a niche position characterized by its metallic conductivity and structural instability. Unlike more conventional, stable nitrides that are widely utilized for their hardness or thermal resistance, IrN is primarily a subject of fundamental research, serving as a case study in the challenges of synthesizing and stabilizing metastable phases in the iridium-nitrogen system.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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