Optical and synchrotron x-ray diffraction diamond anvil cell experiments have been combined with first principles theoretical structure predictions to investigate mixed N2 and H2 up to 55 GPa. We found the formation of oligomeric NxH (x>1) compounds using mechano- and photochemistry at pressures above 47 and 10 GPa, respectively, and room temperature. These compounds can be recovered to ambient pressure at T<130 K, whereas at room temperature, they can be metastable down to 3.5 GPa. Our results suggest new pathways for synthesis of environmentally benign high energy-density materials and alternative planetary ice.
@article{arxiv.1409.1181,
title = {Backbone NxH Compounds at High Pressures},
author = {Alexander F. Goncharov and Nicholas Holtgrewe and Guangrui Qian and Chaohao Hu and Artem R. Oganov and M. Somayazulu and E. Stavrou and Chris J. Pickard and Adam Berlie and Fei Yen and M. Mahmood and S. S. Lobanov and Z. Konôpková and V. B. Prakapenka},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1409.1181},
year = {2014}
}