Synthesis and Industrial Catalytic Applications of Binary and Ternary Molybdenum Nitrides: A Review

Despite the enormous interest raised in a few industrially important reactions (ammonia synthesis and decomposition, hydrodenitrogenation, hydrodesulphurization, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation and reforming reactions) molybdenum nitrides are the less studied class of compounds and fascinated keen attention to replace the noble metals as the catalytic activities of these materials resembles or exceed to that of noble metals. Out of the above said reactions nitride catalysts have been extensively studied for ammonia synthesis and decomposition reactions due to the presence of active molybdenum-nitrogen sites. Nitride materials can be produced by incorporation of nitrogen into the interstitial position of the early transition metals by dissimilar methods at higher temperatures. The present review focus mainly on the synthesis of binary and ternary molybdenum nitrides via different routes and application of these materials to the industrial catalytic reactions.