High-pressure synthesis and structural behavior of sodium orthonitrate Na3NO4

Sodium orthonitrate (Na3NO4) is an unusual phase containing the first example of isolated tetrahedrally bonded NO43− groups. This compound was obtained originally by heating together mixtures of Na2O and NaNO3 for periods extending up to >14 days in evacuated chambers. Considering the negative volume change between reactants and products, it was inferred that a high-pressure synthesis route might favor the formation of the Na3NO4 compound. We found that the recovered sample is likely to be a high-pressure polymorph, containing NO43− groups as evidenced by Raman spectroscopy. The high-pressure behavior of Na3NO4 was studied using Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell above 60 GPa. We found no evidence for major structural transformations, even following laser heating experiments carried out at high pressure, although broadening of the Raman peaks could indicate the onset of disordering at higher pressure.