{{chembox | Verifiedfields = changed | verifiedrevid = 470454866 | Name = | ImageFile = Silver nitride.svg | ImageSize = 150px | IUPACName = Silver(I) nitride | OtherNames = Fulminating silver <br/>Argentous nitride | SystematicName = | Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers | ChemSpiderID_Ref = {{chemspidercite|correct|chemspider}} | ChemSpiderID = 10746013 | InChI = 1/3Ag.N/q3*+1;-3 | InChIKey = XSNQEMWVLMRPFR-UHFFFAOYAP | StdInChI_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}} | StdInChI = 1S/3Ag.N/q3*+1;-3 | StdInChIKey_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}} | StdInChIKey = XSNQEMWVLMRPFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N | CASNo_Ref = {{cascite|changed|??}} | CASNo= 20737-02-4 | PubChem= | SMILES = [Ag+].[Ag+].[Ag+].[N-3] }} | Section2 = {{Chembox Properties | Ag=3 | N=1 | Appearance= Black solid | MolarMass = 337.62 | Density= 9 g/cm<sup>3</sup> | MeltingPt= | BoilingPt= Explodes at 165 °C | Solubility= Slightly | SolubleOther= Decomposes in acids }} | Section3 = {{Chembox Structure | CrystalStruct = face centered cubic | SpaceGroup = }} | Section4 = {{Chembox Thermochemistry | DeltaHf = 199.1&nbsp;kJ/mol<ref>{{cite web |title=silver nitride |url=http://chemister.ru/Database/properties-en.php?dbid=1&id=861 |website=Chemister}}</ref> {{Verify source|date=January 2023}} | DeltaGf = 314.4&nbsp;kJ/mol<ref name="acs">{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/ie00059a023|title=The Chemistry and Free Energy Formation of Silver Nitride|author=Edward S. Shanley, John L. Ennis|journal=Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.|year=1991|volume=30|issue=11|page=2503}}</ref> }} | Section5 = | Section6 = | Section7 = {{Chembox Hazards | MainHazards= Explosive | FlashPt= Flammable | AutoignitionPt = | ExternalSDS =[http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/20819.htm] }} }} '''Silver nitride''' is an explosive chemical compound with symbol Ag<sub>3</sub>N. It is a black, metallic-looking<ref name="acs2">{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/ed068pA6|title=On Hazardous Silver Compounds|author=John L. Ennis and Edward S. Shanley|journal=J. Chem. Educ.|date=1991|volume= 68|issue=1|page=A6|bibcode = 1991JChEd..68....6E }}</ref> solid which is formed when silver oxide or silver nitrate<ref name="loveridge">{{Cite web|url=http://www.jmloveridge.com/cosh/Silver%20Nitrate.pdf|title=Silver Nitrate|access-date=February 11, 2010|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174037/http://www.jmloveridge.com/cosh/Silver%20Nitrate.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> is dissolved in concentrated solutions of ammonia, causing formation of the diammine silver complex which subsequently breaks down to Ag<sub>3</sub>N. The standard free energy of the compound is about +315&nbsp;kJ/mol, making it an endothermic compound which decomposes explosively to metallic silver and nitrogen gas.

==Properties== Silver nitride is poorly soluble in water, but decomposes in mineral acids; decomposition is explosive in concentrated acids. It also slowly decomposes in air at room temperature and explodes upon heating to 165&nbsp;°C.<ref name=prop>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=riaGAwAAQBAJ&q=ag3n+properties&pg=PA38|page=38|title=Synthetic methods of organometallic and inorganic chemistry: Volume 5, 1999: Volume 5: Copper, Silver, Gold, Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury|editor=Wolfgang A. Herrmann, Georg Brauer|publisher=Georg Thieme Verlag|isbn=978-3-13-179211-2|date=2014-05-14}}</ref>

==History== Silver nitride was formerly referred to as fulminating silver, but this can cause confusion with silver fulminate or silver azide, other compounds which have also been referred to by this name. The fulminate and azide compounds do not form from ammoniacal solutions of Ag<sub>2</sub>O.<ref name="acs" /> Fulminating silver was first prepared in 1788 by the French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet.<ref>Multiple references: * Berthollet (1788) [https://books.google.com/books?id=I-lSAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA474 "Procéde pour rendre la chaux d'argent fulminante"] (Procedure for making fulminating silver chalk), ''Observations sur la physique'' … , '''32''' : 474–475. * Davis, Tenney L., ''The Chemistry of Powder And Explosives'' (Las Vegas, Nevada: Angriff Press, 1998), p. 401. (Originally published in 1941 and 1943 by Wiley of New York, New York.)</ref> 70 years earlier, in 1716 Johann Kunckel von Löwenstern had already described the preparation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wentrup |first1=Curt |title=Fulminating Gold and Silver |journal=Angewandte Chemie International Edition |date=14 October 2019 |volume=58 |issue=42 |page=11 |doi=10.1002/anie.201906356 |pmid=31161624 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333605283 |access-date=18 August 2024}}</ref>

==Hazards== Silver nitride is often produced inadvertently during experiments involving silver compounds and ammonia, leading to surprise detonations. Whether silver nitride is formed depends on the concentration of ammonia in the solution. Silver oxide in 1.52 M ammonia solution readily converts to the nitride, while silver oxide in 0.76 M solution does not form nitride.<ref name="acs" /> Silver oxide can also react with dry ammonia to form Ag<sub>3</sub>N. Silver nitride is more dangerous when dry; dry silver nitride is a contact explosive which may detonate from the slightest touch, even a falling water droplet.<ref name="acs" /> It is also explosive when wet, although less so, and explosions do not propagate well in wet deposits of the compound. Because of its long-term instability, undetonated deposits of Ag<sub>3</sub>N will lose their sensitivity over time.

Silver nitride may appear as black crystals, grains, crusts, or mirrorlike deposits on container walls. Suspected deposits may be dissolved by adding dilute ammonia or concentrated ammonium carbonate solution, removing the explosion hazard.<ref name="acs2" /><ref name="msds">{{Cite web|url=http://www.saltlakemetals.com/MSDS_Silver_Oxide.htm|title=Silver oxide|access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref>

==Other uses of the term== The name "silver nitride" is sometimes also used to describe a reflective coating consisting of alternating thin layers of silver metal and silicon nitride. This material is not explosive, and is not a true silver nitride. It is used to coat mirrors and shotguns.<ref name="patent">{{Cite web|url=http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4780372.html|title=Silicon nitride protective coatings for silvered glass mirrors|access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="gun">{{Cite web|url=http://www.millersguns.com/browningshotguns.htm|title=Browning Shotguns|access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref>

==See also== *Silver azide

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} {{Silver compounds}} {{Nitrides}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver Nitride}} Category:Silver compounds Category:Nitrides Category:Explosive chemicals