C4Zn2

C4Zn2 is a metastable, semiconducting zinc-carbon compound frequently analyzed in computational materials research.

CZn
Crystal structure of C4Zn2
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About C4Zn2

C4Zn2 is a semiconducting compound composed of zinc and carbon. Despite being a subject of significant interest in computational studies, it is characterized as thermodynamically unstable, sitting above the hull in energy landscapes.

Its electronic nature makes it a point of curiosity for researchers investigating metal-carbon frameworks. While it has been identified across multiple structural databases, its metastable nature remains a defining feature of its chemical identity.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for C4Zn2, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

2.71 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

1.126 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Above hull
3 DFT sources

Structures

30
4 databases, 15 space groups
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about C4Zn2, answered from cross-validated data.

What is C4Zn2?

C4Zn2 is a metastable, semiconducting zinc-carbon compound frequently analyzed in computational materials research.

More questions
What is the band gap of C4Zn2?
C4Zn2 has a DFT-computed band gap of 2.71 eV across 30 reported structures.
Is C4Zn2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 2.71 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is C4Zn2 thermodynamically stable?
C4Zn2 has a lowest energy above hull of 1.126 eV/atom (above hull).
How many polymorphs of C4Zn2 are known?
30 structures of C4Zn2 are reported across 4 databases, spanning 15 distinct space groups.
What elements does C4Zn2 contain?
C4Zn2 contains C and Zn (2 elements).
Where does the data for C4Zn2 come from?
C4Zn2 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique binary zinc-carbon phase, C4Zn2 serves as a distinct case study in the exploration of metastable semiconducting materials, representing a specialized niche within inorganic chemistry where structural diversity is high but thermodynamic stability is limited.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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