One-Dimensional Metallic Polymeric Nitrogen

TL;DR

This paper reports the synthesis of a one-dimensional metallic polymeric nitrogen phase at high pressure and temperature, revealing its structure, potential superconductivity, and energetic stability, with implications for electronic and energy applications.

Contribution

It presents the first synthesis and characterization of a metallic 1D polymeric nitrogen phase, supported by experimental and computational evidence.

Findings

Synthesized 1D-PN at 130-140 GPa and >3000 K.

Predicted superconducting transition at 21.19 K under 113 GPa.

Stable at ambient conditions with high energy density.

Abstract

The pressure-induced metallic states of light elements attract significant attention, because of potential applications as high-temperature superconductor and high-energy-density material, especially for hydrogen and nitrogen1-10. Several semiconducting polymeric nitrogen phases with three- or two-dimensional sp3-bonded networks were synthesized6-10, but its metallic form remains unobserved. Here, we report the synthesis of a metallic polymeric nitrogen with one-dimensional feature (1D-PN) at 130-140 GPa and above 3000 K. Synchrotron XRD and Raman spectroscopy, supported by DFT calculations, reveal that it adopts an infinite arm-chair like chain with sp2-hybridized pi-bonds. Simulations predict a superconducting transition at 21.19 K under 113 GPa, higher than that reported in high-pressure experiments for non-metallic elements. At ambient pressure, this phase acquiring an energy density of as high as 8.78 kJ/g is not only kinetically stable but also thermodynamically more stable than cubic gauche nitrogen. This multifunctional property profile positions 1D-PN as a disruptive candidate for both electronic and energetic applications.