Metallic Nitrogen:From Hypothesis to Objective Reality
LI Meng1,2, ZHANG Fang-Yuan1, YUAN Zhen-Dong1**
1. Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,HenanNormal University,Xinxiang 453007,China; 2. Chemistry Post-Doctoral Research Station,Henan Normal University,Xinxiang 453007,China
Abstract Through a historical investigation of the development of the metallic nitrogen hypothesis,it is revealed that in the early 19th century,British chemist Humphry Davy first proposed the hypothesis that nitrogen might exhibit metallic properties under extreme conditions.In 1935,American physicist Eugene Wigner systematically demonstrated the possibility of metallic nitrogen’s existence through a high-pressure phase transition theoretical model,refining Davy’s original hypothesis.Building on the continuous advancements in condensed matter physics research and breakthroughs in compression and observation technologies,in 2018,researcher Alexander Goncharov and his team at the Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully achieved controllable synthesis of metallic nitrogen using an in-situ integrated experimental system.Metallic nitrogen,as a novel energetic material with ultra-high energy density and environmentally friendly characteristics,epitomizes the scientific revolution in humanity’s quest to transcend the boundaries of material understanding under extreme temperature and pressure conditions.
LI Meng, ZHANG Fang-Yuan, YUAN Zhen-Dong. Metallic Nitrogen:From Hypothesis to Objective Reality[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2025, 46(20): 123-129.
