N2
nitrogen gas · dinitrogen, molecular nitrogen
Nitrogen gas is a stable, inert diatomic molecule that constitutes the vast majority of the Earth's atmosphere.
About nitrogen gas
Nitrogen gas is a highly stable, diatomic molecule that exists as a wide-band-gap insulator under standard conditions. As a thermodynamically stable species, it serves as the primary component of the Earth's atmosphere and is essential for maintaining chemical inertness in various environments.
Due to its robust molecular structure, this compound is widely utilized in industrial processes that require an oxygen-free atmosphere. Its prevalence and stability make it a fundamental building block in chemical synthesis and cryogenic technology.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for nitrogen gas, aggregated across 5 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 N2.
Applications
Where nitrogen gas is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about nitrogen gas, answered from cross-validated data.
What is N2?
Nitrogen gas is a stable, inert diatomic molecule that constitutes the vast majority of the Earth's atmosphere.
What is N2 used for?
What is the band gap of N2?
Is N2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is N2 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of N2 are known?
How is N2 synthesized?
What elements does N2 contain?
Where does the data for N2 come from?
How It Compares
As a fundamental diatomic molecule, nitrogen gas serves as the primary reference point for nitrogen-based materials, defining the baseline stability for nitrogen chemistry in the gas phase.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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