K3Bi

K3Bi is a stable semiconducting intermetallic compound formed from potassium and bismuth.

BiK
Crystal structure of K3Bi (hexagonal, P63/mmc (No. 194))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About K3Bi

K3Bi is a distinct intermetallic compound composed of potassium and bismuth. As a thermodynamically stable phase residing on the convex hull, it represents a robust structural arrangement within its chemical system.

Exhibiting semiconducting electronic characteristics, this material is a subject of significant interest for researchers investigating the interplay between alkali metals and heavy pnictogens. Its structural diversity is highlighted by numerous reported configurations across various databases.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for K3Bi, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.16–0.42 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

21
3 databases, 6 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of K3Bi. 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

Mixed (most: P63/mmc (No. 194))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for K3Bi, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.160.0000-0.462—
P63cm (No. 185)hexagonal0.020.0000-19.6402.98
——0.000.0000-0.389—
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.040.0004-19.6402.99
——0.260.0005-0.388—
Fm-3m (No. 225)cubic0.420.0020-0.460—
Fm-3m (No. 225)cubic0.130.0144-19.6263.38
——0.400.0247-0.364—
——0.270.0264-0.362—
——0.000.0940-0.295—
Pm-3m (No. 221)cubic0.000.1296-0.332—
——0.000.1554-0.233—
Uses

Applications

Where K3Bi is used.

semiconductor researchsolid-state chemistry studiesintermetallic materials development
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about K3Bi, answered from cross-validated data.

What is K3Bi?

K3Bi is a stable semiconducting intermetallic compound formed from potassium and bismuth.

More questions
What is K3Bi used for?
K3Bi is used in semiconductor research, solid-state chemistry studies, and intermetallic materials development.
What is the band gap of K3Bi?
K3Bi has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.16–0.42 eV across 21 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is K3Bi a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 0.42 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is K3Bi thermodynamically stable?
Yes — K3Bi sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of K3Bi?
The reference structure of K3Bi is hexagonal symmetry, space group P63/mmc (No. 194).
How many polymorphs of K3Bi are known?
21 structures of K3Bi are reported across 3 databases, spanning 6 distinct space groups.
What elements does K3Bi contain?
K3Bi contains Bi and K (2 elements).
Where does the data for K3Bi come from?
K3Bi data is cross-referenced from jarvis, materials_project, oqmd, mpaloe, cod.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a standalone entry in this specific chemical space, K3Bi serves as a primary reference point for understanding the bonding and electronic behavior of alkali-bismuth systems, providing a benchmark for stability and semiconducting performance in similar intermetallic compounds.

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.
  • cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database (crystallography.net/cod/). Cite: Grazulis et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 42, 726 (2009). (CC0-1.0)

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