Zirconium nitride () is an

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemis ...

used in a variety of ways due to its properties.

Properties

ZrN grown by physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a light gold color similar to elemental gold. ZrN has a room-temperature electrical resistivity of 12.0 µΩ·cm, a temperature coefficient of resistivity of 5.6·10⁻⁸ Ω·cm/K, a superconducting transition temperature of 10.4 K, and a relaxed lattice parameter of 0.4575 nm. The

hardness In materials science, hardness (antonym: softness) is a measure of the resistance to localized plastic deformation induced by either mechanical indentation or abrasion. In general, different materials differ in their hardness; for example hard ...

of single-crystal ZrN is 22.7±1.7 GPa and elastic modulus is 450 GPa.

Uses

Zirconium nitride is a hard ceramic material similar to

titanium nitride Titanium nitride (TiN; sometimes known as Tinite) is an extremely hard ceramic material, often used as a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating on titanium alloys, steel, carbide, and aluminium components to improve the substrate's surface prop ...

and is a cement-like

refractory In materials science, a refractory material or refractory is a material that is resistant to decomposition by heat, pressure, or chemical attack, and retains strength and form at high temperatures. Refractories are polycrystalline, polyphase, ...

material. Thus it is used in refractories, cermets and laboratory crucibles. When applied using the physical vapor deposition coating process it is commonly used for coating medical devices, industrial parts (notably

drill bits Drill bits are cutting tools used in a drill to remove material to create holes, almost always of circular cross-section. Drill bits come in many sizes and shapes and can create different kinds of holes in many different materials. In order ...

), automotive and aerospace components and other parts subject to high wear and corrosive environments. Zirconium nitride was suggested as a

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3 ...

fuel tank liner for rockets and aircraft.

References

Nitrides Zirconium(III) compounds Superhard materials Refractory materials Rock salt crystal structure {{inorganic-compound-stub