Gadolinium(III) nitride is a binary

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...

of gadolinium and

nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...

with the chemical formula .

Preparation

Gadolinium(III) nitride can be prepared by the direct reaction of gadolinium metal and nitrogen gas at 1600 °C and at a pressure of 1300 atm. :

Properties

Physical

Gadolinium(III) nitride forms a black powder. It is isomorphous with

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as salt (although sea salt also contains other chemical salts), is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. With molar masses of 22.99 and 35.45 g ...

with the space group of Fmm.

Chemical

Gadolinium(III) nitride hydrolyzes in humid air to form

gadolinium(III) hydroxide Gadolinium(III) hydroxide is a chemical compound with the formula Gd(OH)3. Its nanoparticles has a potential use for layering various drugs, such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Production and properties Gadolinium(III) hydroxide can be p ...

and

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...

. It is insoluble in

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

but soluble in acids.

Uses

Gadolinium(III) nitride is used as a semiconductor. It can also be used as a magnetic material, a catalyst in chemical reactions and a component in neutron converters for radiation detectors.

References

Nitrides Gadolinium compounds Nitrogen compounds Rock salt crystal structure {{inorganic-compound-stub