FeHO2

iron oxyhydroxide · goethite, FeO(OH)

FeHO2 is a stable iron-based semiconducting compound widely studied for its effectiveness as a catalyst in oxygen-evolution reactions.

Crystal structure of FeHO2 (orthorhombic, Pnma (No. 62))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About iron oxyhydroxide

FeHO2 is a thermodynamically stable iron-based oxyhydroxide that functions as a semiconducting material. Its robust structural framework and favorable electronic properties make it a subject of significant interest in the field of electrochemical water splitting and energy conversion technologies. The material is characterized by a high degree of structural diversity, as evidenced by the extensive number of reported crystallographic configurations found in materials databases. This versatility allows it to serve as a reliable platform for developing efficient catalysts for oxygen-evolution reactions. By providing a stable surface for catalytic activity, FeHO2 plays a vital role in advancing sustainable energy storage and production systems.

At a glance

Key Properties

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

Band Gap

0.04–2.36 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: wide gap

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
3 DFT sources

Structures

137
5 databases, 20 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of FeHO2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.88 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.031 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 FeHO2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——1.610.0000-1.489—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.000.0000-6.9894.24
——1.640.0061-1.483—
Cmc21 (No. 36)orthorhombic1.730.0068-6.9833.99
——1.500.0102-1.479—
——1.720.0147-1.474—
——1.370.0181-1.471—
——1.540.0232-1.466—
Pmn21 (No. 31)orthorhombic0.000.0311-1.248—
Cmcm (No. 63)orthorhombic1.240.0368-6.9534.06
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.000.0419-1.238—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.000.0419-1.238—
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting FeHO2.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where iron oxyhydroxide is used.

Oxygen-evolution catalystsElectrochemical water splittingEnergy storage devicesSupercapacitors
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about iron oxyhydroxide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is FeHO2?

FeHO2 is a stable iron-based semiconducting compound widely studied for its effectiveness as a catalyst in oxygen-evolution reactions.

More questions
What is FeHO2 used for?
iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) is used in oxygen-evolution catalysts, electrochemical water splitting, energy storage devices, and supercapacitors.
What is the band gap of FeHO2?
iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.04–2.36 eV across 137 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is FeHO2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 2.36 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is FeHO2 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of FeHO2?
The reference structure of iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma (No. 62).
What is the density of FeHO2?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) is 4.24 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of FeHO2 are known?
137 structures of FeHO2 are reported across 5 databases, spanning 20 distinct space groups.
How is FeHO2 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for FeHO2 include sol gel.
What elements does FeHO2 contain?
iron oxyhydroxide (FeHO2) contains Fe, H, and O (3 elements).
Where does the data for FeHO2 come from?
FeHO2 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the oxide oxygen-evolution catalysts class.

Within the class of oxide oxygen-evolution catalysts, FeHO2 stands out for its unique iron-based composition compared to the more commonly studied nickel- or cobalt-based oxides like NiO or LiCoO2. While many members of this class rely on transition metals like nickel or manganese to facilitate electron transfer, FeHO2 offers a distinct alternative that leverages the earth-abundance and environmental compatibility of iron. It complements complex perovskites like LaMnO3 by providing a simpler, highly stable structural motif that remains competitive in catalytic performance.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Oxide Oxygen-Evolution Catalysts in the database.

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)

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