EuCl2

europium(II) chloride · europium dichloride

Europium(II) chloride is a thermodynamically stable, semiconducting halide compound frequently studied for its structural diversity and lanthanide-based chemical properties.

ClEu
Crystal structure of EuCl2 (orthorhombic, Pnma (No. 62))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About europium(II) chloride

Europium(II) chloride is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound characterized by its semiconducting electronic nature. It represents a significant member of the europium halide group, valued for its distinct chemical behavior and structural versatility. The material is well-documented in scientific literature, with numerous reported structural configurations that highlight its relevance in solid-state chemistry research. Its stability on the convex hull suggests a robust crystalline arrangement that is favorable for various experimental investigations. As a halide, it serves as a foundational material for exploring the electronic properties of divalent lanthanide species. Its role in the broader context of materials science is defined by its predictable synthesis and consistent behavior across diverse structural phases.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for europium(II) chloride, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

3.27–5.85 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: narrow gap

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
3 DFT sources

Structures

31
3 databases, 6 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of EuCl2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.51 / 1.00
Trust tier: low

Hull Spread

0.122 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: Pnma (No. 62))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for EuCl2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——5.850.0000-2.842—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic1.310.0000-7.4754.87
——5.300.0006-2.841—
——5.400.0020-2.840—
——5.190.0203-2.822—
——5.620.0248-2.817—
——5.760.0252-2.817—
——5.610.0428-2.799—
——5.630.0433-2.799—
——5.580.0443-2.798—
P42/mnm (No. 136)tetragonal1.210.0452-7.4303.77
——5.770.0454-2.797—
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting EuCl2.

Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where europium(II) chloride is used.

Solid-state chemistry researchPrecursor for lanthanide-doped materialsCatalysis studies
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about europium(II) chloride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is EuCl2?

Europium(II) chloride is a thermodynamically stable, semiconducting halide compound frequently studied for its structural diversity and lanthanide-based chemical properties.

More questions
What is EuCl2 used for?
europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) is used in solid-state chemistry research, precursor for lanthanide-doped materials, and catalysis studies.
What is the band gap of EuCl2?
europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) has a DFT-computed band gap of 3.27–5.85 eV across 31 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is EuCl2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a wide band gap of up to 5.85 eV (an insulator or wide-band-gap material).
Is EuCl2 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of EuCl2?
The reference structure of europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma (No. 62).
What is the density of EuCl2?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) is 4.87 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of EuCl2 are known?
31 structures of EuCl2 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 6 distinct space groups.
How is EuCl2 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for EuCl2 include solid state.
What elements does EuCl2 contain?
europium(II) chloride (EuCl2) contains Cl and Eu (2 elements).
Where does the data for EuCl2 come from?
EuCl2 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a primary representative of the europium halide class, this compound serves as a benchmark for understanding the electronic and structural trends of divalent lanthanide halides. Its high degree of structural documentation compared to less-studied analogs makes it a critical reference point for researchers analyzing the stability and semiconducting performance of similar metal-halide systems.

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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