AlC3
AlC3 is a metallic, metastable aluminum-carbon compound known for its extensive structural polymorphism.

About AlC3
AlC3 is a metallic compound composed of aluminum and carbon. Due to its position above the thermodynamic hull, it is considered a metastable phase that requires specific synthesis conditions to be realized or maintained.
Despite its instability, the material exhibits significant structural diversity, with dozens of reported configurations across various databases. This complexity makes it a subject of interest for researchers investigating non-equilibrium bonding environments in metal-carbide systems.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for AlC3, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting AlC3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about AlC3, answered from cross-validated data.
What is AlC3?
AlC3 is a metallic, metastable aluminum-carbon compound known for its extensive structural polymorphism.
What is the band gap of AlC3?
Is AlC3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is AlC3 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of AlC3 are known?
How is AlC3 synthesized?
What elements does AlC3 contain?
Where does the data for AlC3 come from?
How It Compares
As an unclassified material within the broader landscape of aluminum carbides, AlC3 represents a unique case of a metallic phase that deviates from the typical stoichiometry and stability profiles found in more common, ceramic-like aluminum carbides.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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