C3N
C3N is a metallic, thermodynamically unstable carbon-nitrogen compound known for its structural variety.
About C3N
C3N is a carbon-nitrogen compound characterized by its metallic electronic behavior. Despite its lack of a band gap, the material is notable for its structural complexity, with numerous reported configurations across various databases. Its metallic nature suggests potential for unique conductive applications in specialized material science research. Being thermodynamically unstable, it exists above the hull, which presents significant challenges for synthesis and practical implementation. This instability makes it a subject of interest for researchers studying metastable phases and high-pressure carbon-based architectures.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for C3N, aggregated across 5 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.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of C3N. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for C3N, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmcm (No. 63) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.3107 | -9.432 | 2.41 |
| Imma (No. 74) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.5166 | -9.226 | 1.92 |
| P212121 (No. 19) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.6605 | -9.082 | 1.76 |
| P212121 (No. 19) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.9313 | -8.811 | 1.99 |
| P213 (No. 198) | cubic | 0.00 | 1.3650 | -8.378 | 1.61 |
| Cmmm (No. 65) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 1.7986 | -7.944 | 2.19 |
| Cmmm (No. 65) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 2.0968 | -7.646 | 1.30 |
| P4/mmm (No. 123) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 2.6363 | -7.106 | 1.66 |
| P4/mmm (No. 123) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 2.8214 | -6.921 | 2.36 |
| P4/mmm (No. 123) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 3.1927 | -6.550 | 1.98 |
| P63/mcm (No. 193) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 3.8012 | -5.941 | 2.17 |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 0.00 | 4.2118 | -5.531 | 3.04 |
Applications
Where C3N is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about C3N, answered from cross-validated data.
What is C3N?
C3N is a metallic, thermodynamically unstable carbon-nitrogen compound known for its structural variety.
What is C3N used for?
What is the band gap of C3N?
Is C3N a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is C3N thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of C3N?
What is the density of C3N?
How many polymorphs of C3N are known?
What elements does C3N contain?
Where does the data for C3N come from?
How It Compares
As a unique carbon-nitrogen phase, C3N serves as an intriguing case study in the broader landscape of metastable materials. While many carbon-based compounds are insulators or semiconductors, its metallic character distinguishes it from more common, stable covalent structures, positioning it as an outlier in the study of light-element frameworks.
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).
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- omat24 — Data from OMat24 (Meta FAIR). Cite: Barroso-Luque et al., arXiv 2410.12771 (2024).
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