Bi4Cu4Pb4S12
Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 is a semiconducting quaternary sulfide compound that is considered thermodynamically stable enough to be a target for experimental synthesis.
About Bi4Cu4Pb4S12
Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 is a complex quaternary sulfide composed of bismuth, copper, lead, and sulfur. As a semiconducting material, it exhibits electronic properties that make it a subject of interest for researchers exploring new functional inorganic compounds. Its status as a near-hull phase suggests that it is thermodynamically accessible and likely capable of being synthesized in a laboratory setting.
Given the multiple reported structures identified in materials databases, this compound represents a versatile building block within the broader family of metal sulfides. Its specific arrangement of cations and anions provides a platform for investigating charge transport and structural stability in multicomponent chalcogenide systems.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Bi4Cu4Pb4S12, 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.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for Bi4Cu4Pb4S12, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pnma (No. 62) | orthorhombic | 0.61 | 0.0094 | -4.622 | 7.01 |
| — | — | — | — | — | 4.96 |
| Pnma (No. 62) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pnma (No. 62) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pnma (No. 62) | — | — | — | — | — |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 1.81 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 1.80 |
Applications
Where Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Bi4Cu4Pb4S12, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Bi4Cu4Pb4S12?
Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 is a semiconducting quaternary sulfide compound that is considered thermodynamically stable enough to be a target for experimental synthesis.
What is Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 used for?
What is the band gap of Bi4Cu4Pb4S12?
Is Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Bi4Cu4Pb4S12?
What is the density of Bi4Cu4Pb4S12?
How many polymorphs of Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 are known?
What elements does Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 contain?
Where does the data for Bi4Cu4Pb4S12 come from?
How It Compares
As a unique quaternary sulfide, this compound occupies a specialized niche in materials science. Unlike simpler binary or ternary chalcogenides, the integration of four distinct elements allows for a highly tunable electronic environment, positioning it as a sophisticated candidate for future semiconductor research.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- omat24 — Data from OMat24 (Meta FAIR). Cite: Barroso-Luque et al., arXiv 2410.12771 (2024).
- aflow — Data from AFLOW. Cite: Curtarolo et al., Comp. Mater. Sci. 58, 218 (2012).
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
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