Nitride

Nitrides are a class of chemical compounds formed when nitrogen combines with less electronegativity components such as silicon or boron. It appears in nature in a variety of forms. There are three different kinds of nitrides: transition metal, covalent, and ionic. They are useful in a variety of applications and have distinct features. These nitride compounds when broken into two ions form a cation and an anion. The anion formed is called Nitride Ion.

In this article, we will learn in detail about what are nitrides, nitride ions, their formula, valency, properties, types, and uses.

What are Nitrides?

Nitrides are chemical compounds in which anion is a nitrogen ion. Nitrides are formed when a less electronegative element combines nitrogen. They have a general formula of X₃N, X₃N₂ or XN. Some of the examples of Nitrides are Aluminium Nitride, Gallium Nitride, Boron Nitride etc. The anions present in these compounds are called Nitride ions.

Nitride Ion

Nitride Ions are anions present in the Nitride Compounds. Nitride Ion is represented as N^3-.

Basic Properties of Nitrides

Here is a table summarising basic features of nitrides:

Property	Nitride
Formula	N3-
Charge	-3
Valency	-3
Atomic Mass	Approximately 14
Ionic Radius	Around 140 pm
Electron Configuration	1s2 2s2 2p3
Number of Electrons in Outer Shell	5
Ionic Nature	Ionic, covalent, and interstitial
Common Types	Transition metal, covalent, and ionic
Preparation Methods	Direct reaction with ammonia. Heat breakdown of metal amide. Reduction of Metal Halide or Oxide

Nitride Formula

Nitride Ions have the formula (N^3-). An oxidation state of -3 causes nitrogen to change into a nitride ion. This enables nitride ion to form Nitride class of compounds with possible molecular formulas of X₃N, X₃N₂ or XN.

Nitride Valency

Nitrogen has a valency of -3. Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7 and an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p³. Nitrogen contains 5 electrons in its outermost shell, and it needs 3 additional electrons to form a stable octet. Nitrogen gains three electrons, resulting in the production of a nitride ion (N^3-). This electron gain may be represented by the following chemical equation

N + 3e⁻ → N³⁻

Nitride Charge

Nitride ion has a charge of -3. Nitrogen’s electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³ resulting in 5 electrons in its outermost shell. It acquires three electrons to form a stable octet. The acquisition of three additional electrons results in the production of the nitride ion (N^3-), with the nitrogen atom carrying a -3 charge. The chemical equation for forming the nitride ion is as follows:

N + 3e⁻ → N³⁻

Examples of Nitrides

Let’s now examine how important nitride is to various businesses by looking at few particular examples:

Aluminum Nitride (AlN): Excellent thermal conductivity makes it useful for thermal management applications and the manufacturing of high-performance electrical devices.

Silicon Nitride (Si₃N₄): Because of its great strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, it is frequently utilized in ceramic materials, cutting tools, and engine components.

Boron Nitride (BN): Exists in several forms, such as cubic boron nitride (c-BN) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). While c-BN is a superhard substance used in abrasives and cutting instruments, h-BN is utilized as a lubricant and in cosmetics.

Titanium Nitride (TiN): Hard coatings that provide wear resistance and a gold-like appearance are used on metal-cutting equipment and in the aerospace and medical sectors.

Vanadium Nitride (VN): When ammonia is produced and steel is surface-treated to increase its hardness and resistance to corrosion, it is utilised as a catalyst.

Tantalum Nitride (TaN): Because of its electrical characteristics and wear resistance, it is used as a thin film in semiconductor devices.

Gallium Nitride (GaN): Gallium nitride is a semiconductor with a large bandgap that has received a lot of interest in electronics and optoelectronics. It is utilised in the manufacturing of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), radiofrequency (RF) devices, and power electronics.

Magnesium Nitride(Mg₃​N₂): It is a binary chemical made up of magnesium (Mg) and nitrogen (N). Its high melting point makes it useful in a variety of industrial applications. Magnesium nitride has the chemical formula Mg₃​N₂​.

Properties of Nitrides

Nitrides have many chemical and physical characteristics, which include:

Physical Properties

Ionic Radius: Nitride compounds have an ionic radius of around 140 pm, which affects their interactions with other elements and compounds.

Reaction with Water: When nitrides come into contact with water, they undergo a reaction that produces ammonia, highlighting their reactivity and possible use in ammonia synthesis.

Insulating Nature: Nitride is well known for its insulating properties, which make it useful in a variety of applications requiring electrical conductivity control.

Oxidation State: Nitride has a stable oxidation number of -3, which explains its electron-sharing behaviour in chemical processes.

Diverse Forms: Nitride exists in a variety of forms, including calcium nitride, sodium nitride, and boron nitride, demonstrating its flexibility in compound formations.

Chemical Reaction of Nitrides

The chemical properties of Nitrides are mentioned below:

Sodium Nitride Reactivity: Sodium interacts with nitride to produce sodium nitride, which is especially unstable. The reaction equation shows the susceptibility to decomposition:

2Na₃​N→6Na + N_2​

Calcium Nitride Formation: Calcium combines with nitrogen to form calcium nitride and oxide, demonstrating the compound’s ability to engage in direct reactions.

3Ca + N₂​→Ca₃​N_2​

Interaction with Water: Nitrides, such as calcium nitride, interact with water or moisture in the air to produce calcium hydroxide and ammonia via a chemical reaction:

Ca_3​N₂​ + 6H_2​O→3Ca(OH)₂ ​+ 2NH_3​

Hydrogen Absorption: Calcium nitride has the capacity to absorb hydrogen at high temperatures, resulting in a chemical reaction that produces calcium amide and hydride:

Ca_3​N₂​ + 2H₂​→2CaNH + CaH_2​

Preparation of Nitrides

Nitrides are formed by directly reacting a metal with a nitrogen source, such as ammonia gas, or by reacting a metal with a nitrogen compound, such as nitric acid. During these reactions, the metal reacts with nitrogen, forming nitrides. Thermal decomposition of metal amides and reduction of metal halides or oxides in the presence of nitrogen gas are other routes to the production of versatile nitride compounds with a wide range of uses. Some of the examples of preparation of nitride is mentioned below:

Direct Reaction of Elements

Reacting elements directly is one simple technique. Using calcium nitride (Ca₃N₂) as an illustration:

3Ca + N₂​→Ca₃​N_2​

Heat Decomposition of Metal Amide

The second technique is heating a metal amide to release ammonia, such as barium amide:

3Ba(NH₂​)₂​ →Ba₃​N₂​ + 4NH_3​

This procedure shows an alternative route to nitride creation by releasing ammonia.

Reduction of Metal Halide or Oxide

Reducing a metal oxide or halide in the presence of nitrogen gas is an additional method. The synthesis of aluminium nitride (AlN) goes like this:

Al₂​​O₃ + 3C + N₂​→2AlN + 3CO

Types of Nitride

Nitrides can be classified intro various categories depending on the nature of bond they have or the sources of material use to make nitride. The different types of nitrides are mentioned below:

Ionic Nitride

Ionic Nitride are the nitrides in which the cation is metal and anion is nitride ion. Lithium is the only alkali metal that forms a nitride, whereas all alkaline Earth metals produce nitrides with the formula M₃N₂. These ionic nitrides, such as Be₃N₂ and Mg₃N₂, have varying stability. This different reactivity and diversified stability make ionic nitrides significant in both industrial and chemical applications.

Covalent Nitride

Covalent Nitrides, such as boron nitride (BN), are compounds generated by the sharing of electrons amongst nonmetals. In the case of BN, boron and nitrogen atoms form covalent bonds, forming a crystal lattice structure.

Two moles of boron react with three moles of nitrogen gas to produce two moles of boron nitride, demonstrate the covalent nature of the boron-nitrogen bond in this molecule.

Binary Metal Nitride

Binary Metal nitrides, as the name suggest has two elements in the nitride compound. One out which is obviously nitrogen. Example of Binary Metal Nitride such as magnesium nitride (Mg₃N₂), are formed by the combination of a metal, such as magnesium, with nitrogen.

Transition Metal Nitride

A transition metal nitride, consist of Transition Metal cation and nitride anion. Example of Transition Metal Nitride such as titanium nitride (TiN), is generated by a chemical reaction between titanium (Ti) and nitrogen gas (N₂). The chemical equation for synthesis is

Ti + N₂ → TiN

Inorganic Nitrides

Inorganic nitrides are compounds generated by the combination of nitrogen and other elements, except carbon. These compounds usually involve the bonding of nitrogen with metals or nonmetals, resulting in a wide spectrum of materials with various characteristics and uses.

Aluminium nitride is an inorganic nitride. Other examples of inorganic nitrides are silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), titanium nitride (TiN), and boron nitride. Because of their distinctive features and adaptability, these compounds are used in electronics, ceramics, cutting tools, and a variety of other industrial applications.

Organic Nitrides

Organic nitrides are chemicals that contain the nitride functional group (−N≡). They are generally generated by substituting hydrogen atoms in ammonia (NH₃) molecules with organic groups. Nitriles, with the general structure R-C≡N, are a frequent example of an organic nitride. R indicates an organic group.

Acetonitrile (CH₃CN) is an example of an organic nitride. Acetonitrile contains a triple bond (≡N) between the nitrogen atom and the methyl group (CH₃). Other examples of organic nitrides are benzonitrile (C₆H₅CN) and propionitrile (CH₃CH₂CN). Organic nitrides are significant in the manufacture of medicines, agrochemicals, and a variety of other industrial uses.

Uses of Nitride

There are several uses of nitride:

• LED lights emit blue light because to the high bandgap in gallium nitride, demonstrating its significance in the technology that powers these energy-efficient lights.
• Nitrides are used to make high-speed, high-temperature cutting tools, which helps to accelerate machining operations.
• Nitrides are important in the aerospace sector for coating components because they are resistant to severe temperatures, which improves their performance and endurance.
• Nitrides also contribute to catalysis by facilitating chemical reactions and processes that are critical in a variety of industrial applications.
• Nitrides, like boron nitride, are used as insulators to regulate the flow of electricity.

Nitride, Nitrite and Nitrate

Nitride, Nitrite and Nitrite are three possible types of anion in chemical compounds formed with Nitrogen ion. A basic understanding of these three types can be gained from the table below:

Information	Nitride	Nitrite	Nitrate
Suffix	-ide	-ite	-ate
Formula	N3-	NO2-	NO3-
Valency	3	1	1
Example	Mg3N2	Ca(NO2)2	NaNO3

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Nitrides?

Nitrides are chemical compounds in which anion is nitrogen ion.

How are Nitride Ions Represented?

Nitride ions are represented as N^-3

What is Oxidation State of Nitride?

Oxidation State of Nitride ion is -3

What is Nitride Formula?

Nitride Formula is given as N^-3

What are Metal Nitrides?

Metal Nitrides are those nitride compound in which cation is metal. For example, Magnesium Nitride Mg₃N₂ is a metal nitride

What is Valency of Nitride?

Valency of Nitride is 3