Thermochemistry of metal nitrides in the Ca/Zn/N system

The energetics of ternary oxide formation is reasonably well understood, but little is known of the energetics of ternary nitride formation. We have developed new procedures for high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry on metal nitrides and employed them to study compounds in the Ca/Zn/N system. The calorimetry utilized the easy reduction of MoO3 in the solvent to supply a pathway for rapid oxidation of ''N3-'' to N-2 gas. These experiments represent the first high-temperature solution calorimetry of ternary metal nitrides. The results indicate that Ca3N2 acts as a basic nitride analogous to CaO in oxide systems, while Zn3N2 acts as an acidic nitride (''N3-'' acceptor) in this ternary nitride system.