Single-crystals of a new carbon nitride phase with all-sp³ carbon

Abstract

We prepared a carbon nitride compound by treating the molecular precursor C2N4H4in a laser-heated diamond-anvil-cell (LH-DAC) at pressures exceeding 27 GPa and temperatures above 1700°C. After quenching we recovered single crystals of the new material with diameters of about 1 μm. Using several experimental characterization techniques in conjunction with computational methods we determined composition, hybridization of constituting atoms, and the crystal structure. The new carbon nitride imide, C2N2(NH), adopts a defect-wurtzite structure and is isotypic to Si2N2(NH). © 2007 Materials Research Society