Nanostructures of the binary nitrides, BN, TiN, and NbN, prepared by the urea-route

By heating mixtures of H3BO3, TiCl4, and NbCl5 with urea in 1:6 molar ratios in the 900–1000 °C range, nanoparticles of BN, TiN, and NbN have been obtained, respectively. The nanoparticles are crystalline and have been characterized by electron microscopy and other techniques. By carrying out the urea reaction over Au islands deposited on Si substrates, nanowires of TiN could be obtained.