Chapter 2. Preparation Methods for Nitride and Carbide Catalysts

Transition metal nitrides and carbides have been a focus of research because they show catalytic properties similar to noble metals. The methods of preparation of metal nitrides and carbides are rather extensive, whereas within the literature their preparation is just focused on several routes. In this review, we give an overview on the development of metal nitride and carbide catalyst synthesis and provide brief details of their catalytic applications. The approaches to increasing the surface area (producing small nanoparticles) and providing specific structures with high purity are discussed. Size- and morphologically-controlled nitrides and carbides could result in improved catalytic performances. Therefore, novel approaches towards nitrides and carbides with special morphology and size distribution can be envisaged. When compared to the nitrides and carbides of Group V–VI metals (e.g., V, Mo and W), the nitrides and carbides of Fe, Co and Ni (Group VII–VIII) might be more active due to their lower heats of formation. Nevertheless, they have received far less attention due to their poor thermal stability. The development of these catalytic materials remains a meaningful challenge in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.