BaP6N10NH:Eu2+ as a case study-An imidonitridophosphate showing luminescence

Barium imidonitridophosphate BaP6N10NH was synthesized at 5 GPa and 1000 degrees C with a high-pressure high-temperature approach using the multianvil technique. Ba(N-3)(2), P3N5 and NH4Cl were used as starting materials, applying a combination of azide and mineralizer routes. The structure elucidation of BaP6N10NH (P6(3), a=7.5633(11), c=8.512(2) angstrom, Z=2) was performed by a combination of transmission electron microscopy and single-crystal diffraction with microfocused synchrotron radiation. Phase purity was verified by Rietveld refinement. H-1 and P-31 solid-state NMR and FTIR spectroscopy are consistent with the structure model. The chemical composition was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and CHNS analyses. Eu2+-doped samples of BaP6N10NH show blue emission upon excitation with UV to blue light (lambda(em)=460 nm, fwhm=2423 cm(-1)) representing unprecedented Eu2+-luminescence of an imidonitride.