Cu3Te

Cu3Te is a metallic copper-tellurium compound that exists as a metastable phase with multiple reported structural variations.

CuTe
Crystal structure of Cu3Te
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Cu3Te

Cu3Te is a metallic binary compound composed of copper and tellurium. As a material that lacks a band gap, it exhibits characteristic metallic electronic behavior, making it an interesting subject for studies into the complex phase space of copper-chalcogenide systems. Its existence is marked by a significant number of reported structures across various databases, highlighting its structural diversity despite its metastable nature. Because it sits above the thermodynamic hull, Cu3Te is generally considered an unstable phase under standard conditions, often requiring specific synthesis pathways to stabilize its configuration. It serves as a valuable case study for researchers investigating the formation and transformation of non-equilibrium phases in metallic alloys.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Cu3Te, aggregated across 5 databases.

Band Gap

Metallic / not reported

Energy Above Hull

0.180 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Above hull
4 DFT sources

Structures

11
5 databases, 3 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting Cu3Te.

Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where Cu3Te is used.

Solid-state researchPhase stability studiesMaterials science experimentation
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Cu3Te, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Cu3Te?

Cu3Te is a metallic copper-tellurium compound that exists as a metastable phase with multiple reported structural variations.

More questions
What is Cu3Te used for?
Cu3Te is used in solid-state research, phase stability studies, and materials science experimentation.
What is the band gap of Cu3Te?
Cu3Te is computed to be metallic (no band gap) in the reported DFT structures.
Is Cu3Te a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Computed band structures report no gap, so it is metallic.
Is Cu3Te thermodynamically stable?
Cu3Te has a lowest energy above hull of 0.180 eV/atom (above hull).
How many polymorphs of Cu3Te are known?
11 structures of Cu3Te are reported across 5 databases, spanning 3 distinct space groups.
How is Cu3Te synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for Cu3Te include solid state (2 procedures documented).
What elements does Cu3Te contain?
Cu3Te contains Cu and Te (2 elements).
Where does the data for Cu3Te come from?
Cu3Te data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a metastable binary phase, Cu3Te represents a distinct point within the broader landscape of copper-telluride systems, where the competition between different stoichiometric ratios dictates the stability and electronic properties of the resulting materials.

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

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