Molecular and Crystal Structure
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Simple cubic (P)
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Body-centered cubic (I)
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Face-centered cubic (F)
The Uranium dinitride (UN2) compound has a face-centered cubic crystal structure of the calcium fluoride (CaF2) type with a space group of Fm3m. Nitrogen forms triple bonds on each side of uranium forming a linear structure.
α-(U2N3) has a body centered cubic crystal structure of the (Mn2O3) type with a space group of Ia3 .
UN has a face centered cubic crystal structure of the NaCl type. . The metal component of the bond uses the 5f orbital of the uranium but forms a relatively weak interaction but is important for the crystal structure. The covalent portion of the bonds forms from the overlap between the 6d orbital and 7s orbital on the uranium and the 2p orbitals on the nitrogen. N forms a triple bond with uranium creating a linear structure.
Read more about this topic: Uranium Nitride
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