First-principles investigations on mechanical stability and elastic properties of hexagonal tungsten dinitride under pressure

► The complete elastic tensor and crystal anisotropies of WN2 in P63/mmc and P-6m2 phases are firstly investigated in wide pressure. ► We predict that P63/mmc and P-6m2 phases in WN2 are not stable above 175.1 GPa and 170.1 GPa, respectively. ► The thermodynamic properties of WN2 under pressure and temperature are obtained successfully.