HgNO4

HgNO4 is a metastable, semiconducting inorganic compound used primarily in materials science research to explore complex mercury-based chemical structures.

HgNO
Crystal structure of HgNO4 (monoclinic, P21/c (No. 14))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About HgNO4

HgNO4 is a complex inorganic compound characterized by its semiconducting electronic nature. As a metastable material, it represents a delicate balance of chemical bonding that is of significant interest for fundamental research into mercury-nitrogen-oxygen systems. Its existence across multiple structural configurations highlights the intricate coordination chemistry possible within this composition.

This compound serves as a subject of study for scientists investigating the stability and electronic behavior of mercury-based oxides and nitrates. Its metastable state suggests potential for unique reactivity or phase transitions under specific environmental conditions, making it a valuable entry for those mapping the landscape of complex inorganic materials.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for HgNO4, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.18–1.06 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: narrow gap

Energy Above Hull

0.039 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Metastable
2 DFT sources

Structures

19
3 databases, 4 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of HgNO4. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.80 / 1.00
Trust tier: medium

Hull Spread

0.051 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

2
jarvis, materials_project

Space Group Consensus

All match
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for HgNO4, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic1.060.0389-0.137—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.000.0822-0.093—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.000.0833-0.092—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.000.0898-5.3244.86
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.180.0955-5.3184.03
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.000.1751-5.2384.13
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.710.3214-5.0923.82
Cm (No. 8)monoclinic———10.60
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic———4.93
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic———4.21
P1 (No. 1)triclinic———6.26
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic———5.10
Uses

Applications

Where HgNO4 is used.

Fundamental materials science researchSolid-state chemistry studies
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HgNO4, answered from cross-validated data.

What is HgNO4?

HgNO4 is a metastable, semiconducting inorganic compound used primarily in materials science research to explore complex mercury-based chemical structures.

More questions
What is HgNO4 used for?
HgNO4 is used in fundamental materials science research and solid-state chemistry studies.
What is the band gap of HgNO4?
HgNO4 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.18–1.06 eV across 19 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is HgNO4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 1.06 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is HgNO4 thermodynamically stable?
HgNO4 has a lowest energy above hull of 0.039 eV/atom (metastable).
What is the crystal structure of HgNO4?
The reference structure of HgNO4 is monoclinic symmetry, space group P21/c (No. 14).
How many polymorphs of HgNO4 are known?
19 structures of HgNO4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 4 distinct space groups.
What elements does HgNO4 contain?
HgNO4 contains Hg, N, and O (3 elements).
Where does the data for HgNO4 come from?
HgNO4 data is cross-referenced from jarvis, materials_project, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique entry in this chemical space, HgNO4 stands as a distinct example of a metastable semiconducting material. Without direct structural siblings in this specific classification, it serves as a primary reference point for understanding how mercury integrates into complex nitrogen-oxygen frameworks.

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)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.

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