The crystal structure of cadmium cyanamide was investigated by X-ray powder analysis and refined using the Rietveld method. Very fine powders of CdCN2 in the nanometre range were obtained by chemical bath deposition. The size, shape and microstrain were characterised by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The refined structure is very close to that of MgCN2. Infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were also performed to fully characterise the compound.