B6O
Boron suboxide · Boron monoxide
Boron suboxide is a stable, semiconducting ceramic material prized for its extreme hardness and durability in high-stress environments.
About Boron suboxide
Boron suboxide is a robust semiconducting material that holds a unique position in boron-based chemistry. Its thermodynamic stability ensures it remains a reliable candidate for demanding structural applications where material integrity is paramount.
Due to its exceptional mechanical properties, this compound is frequently investigated for use in extreme environments. Its ability to maintain performance under stress makes it a subject of significant interest for researchers developing advanced ceramic materials.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Boron suboxide, aggregated across 3 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.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for B6O, ranked by energy above hull.
| Space GroupSymmetry classification of the crystal arrangement. The number is the international space-group index. | Crystal SystemBroad lattice family, such as cubic, tetragonal, monoclinic, or triclinic, derived from unit-cell symmetry. | Band Gap (eV)Electronic gap calculated for this specific reported structure, measured in electronvolts. | E above hull (eV/atom)Thermodynamic distance from the convex hull for this structure, normalized per atom. Lower is generally more stable. | E/atom (eV)Computed total energy normalized per atom. Use energy above hull, not this value alone, when comparing stability. | Density (g/cm³)Mass per relaxed crystal volume, reported in grams per cubic centimeter. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-3m (No. 166) | trigonal | 1.86 | 0.0000 | -7.237 | 2.62 |
| R-3m (No. 166) | — | — | — | — | — |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.32 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 3.13 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.63 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.11 |
| R-3m (No. 166) | Trigonal | — | — | — | 2.60 |
| C2 (No. 5) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 3.10 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.66 |
| R-3m (No. 166) | Trigonal | — | — | — | 2.64 |
| R-3m (No. 166) | Trigonal | — | — | — | 2.62 |
Applications
Where Boron suboxide is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Boron suboxide, answered from cross-validated data.
What is B6O?
Boron suboxide is a stable, semiconducting ceramic material prized for its extreme hardness and durability in high-stress environments.
What is B6O used for?
What is the band gap of B6O?
Is B6O a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is B6O thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of B6O?
What is the density of B6O?
How many polymorphs of B6O are known?
What elements does B6O contain?
Where does the data for B6O come from?
How It Compares
As a standout member of the boron-oxygen system, boron suboxide is recognized for its structural resilience and stability. It serves as a benchmark for hardness and chemical durability, often outperforming simpler boron-based ceramics in specialized industrial applications.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
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