CuI2

CuI2 is a metastable metallic compound consisting of copper and iodine that is primarily studied for its complex structural properties.

CuI
Crystal structure of CuI2 (tetragonal, P4/mmm (No. 123))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About CuI2

CuI2 is a metastable inorganic compound composed of copper and iodine. Its electronic character is defined as metallic, distinguishing it from more common insulating or semiconducting copper halides. Due to its metastable nature, it represents a complex phase that challenges traditional synthesis methods and offers a unique subject for structural analysis.

This compound is of significant interest in fundamental materials science, particularly for researchers investigating non-equilibrium phases. With numerous reported structures across multiple databases, it serves as a critical case study for understanding the stability limits of copper-based binary systems.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for CuI2, aggregated across 5 databases.

Band Gap

Metallic / not reported

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
4 DFT sources

Structures

46
5 databases, 9 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CuI2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.12 / 1.00
Trust tier: low

Hull Spread

0.221 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

All match
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for CuI2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——0.000.0003-0.233—
——0.000.0069-0.226—
——0.000.0567-0.176—
——0.000.0605-0.173—
——0.000.0607-0.172—
——0.000.0815-0.152—
——0.000.0859-0.147—
——0.000.0870-0.146—
——0.000.0917-0.141—
P4/mmm (No. 123)tetragonal0.000.0931-2.5434.29
P4/mmm (No. 123)tetragonal0.000.0984-2.5384.03
——0.000.1044-0.129—
Uses

Applications

Where CuI2 is used.

Fundamental materials science researchSolid-state chemistry studiesPhase stability investigation
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about CuI2, answered from cross-validated data.

What is CuI2?

CuI2 is a metastable metallic compound consisting of copper and iodine that is primarily studied for its complex structural properties.

More questions
What is CuI2 used for?
CuI2 is used in fundamental materials science research, solid-state chemistry studies, and phase stability investigation.
What is the band gap of CuI2?
The reported DFT structures of CuI2 show no band gap. Standard DFT often misses gaps (especially in transition-metal oxides), so this is not proof the real material is a metal.
Is CuI2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT calculations predict no band gap. Standard DFT can miss gaps, so measurements are needed to confirm metallic behavior.
Is CuI2 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — CuI2 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of CuI2?
The reference structure of CuI2 is tetragonal symmetry, space group P4/mmm (No. 123).
What is the density of CuI2?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of CuI2 is 4.29 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of CuI2 are known?
46 structures of CuI2 are reported across 5 databases, spanning 9 distinct space groups.
What elements does CuI2 contain?
CuI2 contains Cu and I (2 elements).
Where does the data for CuI2 come from?
CuI2 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a metastable metallic phase, CuI2 stands out for its structural diversity and unconventional electronic behavior compared to more stable, insulating binary halides typically found in this chemical class.

Data sources & attribution
  • oqmd — Data from the OQMD (oqmd.org). Cite: Saal et al., JOM 65, 1501 (2013); Kirklin et al., npj Comp. Mater. 1, 15010 (2015). (CC-BY-4.0)
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (CC-BY-4.0)
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.

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