Abstract

The molybdenum bimetallic nitride Pd₂Mo₃N has been synthesized by ammonolysis of the stoichiometric mixture of low sized pure oxide crystallites (2PdO/3MoO₃) as resulting from low temperature thermal decomposition of precursor powders obtained by freeze-drying of aqueous solutions of the appropriate metal salts. This compound has been characterized by elemental analysis, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (field emision) and thermogravimetry under oxygen atmosphere. Pd₂Mo₃N crystallizes in the cubic space group P4₁32 (no. 213) (Pd₂Mo₃N, a = 6.81770(3) Å, Z = 4), and presents the unusual filled β-manganese structure. It is stable under oxygen atmosphere up to 550 K, the oxidation of the bulk reverting to the oxide mixture being complete at 850 K.