Synthesis and characterization of Ni–Mo bimetallic nitride from the mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen

A new method for the synthesis of Ni–Mo bimetallic nitrides was reported in the present paper. The bimetallic nitrides were successfully prepared by a temperature-programmed reaction between bimetallic oxide precursors and the mixed gases of N2 and H2 instead of NH3. By adjusting pH values of the solution in the process of co-precipitation, pure NiMoO4 or NiMoO4 with excess MoO3 was obtained, and then pure Ni3Mo3N or Ni3Mo3N with γ-Mo2N was synthesized by nitriding the precursors. The structural properties of the precursors and their corresponding nitrides were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet laser Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and chemical analysis of total nitrogen content.