Inventory on innovative research: the case of C₃N₄

Abstract

Two prominent examples of the interaction between predicting and failing to synthesize new inorganic materials include metallic hydrogen and the so-called “harder than diamond” form of C₃N₄. In both cases there has been much speculation and calculation but years of experimentation have failed to produce the desired phases, and the intriguing interplay continues. This note is a brief appraisal of the status of the claims regarding C₃N₄ made by counting and analyzing published papers on the topic, in an attempt to inventory and evaluate “innovative research” on materials.

Keywords:

• C₃N₄
• Failure to synthesize
• Harder than diamond