RAPID, LOW-ENERGY SYNTHESIS OF LANTHANIDE NITRIDES

Thermal initiation (400 degrees C) of the reaction between lithium nit ride and anhydrous lanthanide halides produces lanthanide nitrides LnN (Ln = Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Cd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb) via a rapid exot hermic solid state metathesis reaction. Mixed lanthanide nitrides LnLn 'N (LnLn' = PrNd; DyHo; TbDy) are made by reaction of ground powders o f LnCl(3) with Li3N. The lanthanide nitrides were characterized by X-r ay powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disp ersive X-ray analysis (EDXA), FTIR, magnetic moment measurement and mi croanalysis.