Interest in inorganic ternary nitride materials has grown rapidly over the past few decades, as their diversity of chemistries and structures make them appealing for a variety of applications. Due to synthetic challenges posed by the stability of N2, the number of predicted nitride compounds dwarfs those that have been synthesized, offering a breadth of opportunity for exploration. This review summarizes the fundamental properties and structural chemistry of ternary nitrides, leveraging metastability and the impact of nitrogen chemical potential. A discussion of prevalent defects, both detrimental and beneficial, is followed by a survey of synthesis techniques and their interplay with metastability. Throughout the review, we highlight applications (such as solid-state lighting, electrochemical energy storage, and electronic devices) in which ternary nitrides show particular promise.
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