HfNi

HfNi is a stable, metallic intermetallic compound formed from hafnium and nickel that is frequently studied for its structural properties.

HfNi
Crystal structure of HfNi (orthorhombic, Cmcm (No. 63))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About HfNi

HfNi is a metallic intermetallic compound composed of hafnium and nickel. As a thermodynamically stable phase located on the convex hull, it represents a robust structural configuration that is highly favored in the chemical system.

With a high degree of data richness and numerous reported structures across multiple databases, this compound is a significant subject of study for researchers. Its metallic nature and stability make it a foundational material for investigating complex intermetallic bonding and phase formation.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for HfNi, 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

79
5 databases, 13 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

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

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.000 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 HfNi, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
Cmcm (No. 63)orthorhombic0.000.0000-0.559—
Cmcm (No. 63)orthorhombic0.000.0000-29.08312.40
——0.000.0000-0.519—
——0.000.0732-0.446—
——0.000.0847-0.434—
——0.000.0931-0.426—
P-6m2 (No. 187)hexagonal0.000.2936-0.265—
——0.000.3726-0.146—
——0.000.3779-0.141—
——0.000.4474-0.072—
——0.000.75150.232—
——0.001.09780.579—
Uses

Applications

Where HfNi is used.

Materials science researchIntermetallic phase studiesAlloy development
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

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

What is HfNi?

HfNi is a stable, metallic intermetallic compound formed from hafnium and nickel that is frequently studied for its structural properties.

More questions
What is HfNi used for?
HfNi is used in materials science research, intermetallic phase studies, and alloy development.
What is the band gap of HfNi?
The reported DFT structures of HfNi 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 HfNi 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 HfNi thermodynamically stable?
Yes — HfNi sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of HfNi?
The reference structure of HfNi is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Cmcm (No. 63).
How many polymorphs of HfNi are known?
79 structures of HfNi are reported across 5 databases, spanning 13 distinct space groups.
What elements does HfNi contain?
HfNi contains Hf and Ni (2 elements).
Where does the data for HfNi come from?
HfNi data is cross-referenced from jarvis, materials_project, oqmd, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a standalone entry in this context, HfNi serves as a primary example of a stable, metallic binary intermetallic. Its position on the convex hull highlights its reliability as a reference point for understanding hafnium-nickel interactions compared to less stable or metastable phases within the same elemental system.

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

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