The crystal structure of biuret was elucidated by means of XRD analysiso fs ingle crystalsg rown through slow evaporation from as olution in ethanol. It crystallises in its own structure type in space group C2/c (a = 15.4135(8) , b = 6.6042(3) , c = 9.3055(4) , Z = 8). Biuret decomposition was studied in situ by means of temperature-programmed powder XRD and FTIR spectroscopy,t oi dentify ac o-crystalline biuret-cyanuric acidp hase as ap reviously unrecognised reaction intermediate. Extensive thermogravimetric studies of varying crucibleg eometry,h eatingr ate and initial sample mass reveal that the concentration of reactive gases at the interfacet ot he condensed sample residues is ac rucial parameter for the prevailing decompositionp athway.T aking these findings into consideration, as tudy on the optimisation of carbon nitride synthesis from urea on the gram scale, with standard solid-state laboratory techniques, is presented. Finally,aserendipitously encountered self-coating of the crucible inner walls by graphite during repeateds ynthetic cycles, which prove to be highly beneficial for the obtained yields,i sr eported.