K3P
K3P is a stable, semiconducting binary phosphide composed of potassium and phosphorus.
About K3P
K3P is a binary phosphide compound that exhibits semiconducting electronic character. As a thermodynamically stable phase located on the convex hull, it represents a robust configuration of potassium and phosphorus atoms. Its structural integrity makes it a subject of significant interest for researchers investigating fundamental binary systems. The compound is characterized by a high degree of structural diversity, with numerous reported arrangements across multiple databases, indicating a complex landscape of potential phases. This richness highlights its importance as a model system for understanding bonding and stability in alkali metal phosphides.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for K3P, aggregated across 5 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of K3P. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for K3P, ranked by energy above hull.
| Space GroupSymmetry classification of the crystal arrangement. The number is the international space-group index. | Crystal SystemBroad lattice family, such as cubic, tetragonal, monoclinic, or triclinic, derived from unit-cell symmetry. | Band Gap (eV)Electronic gap calculated for this specific reported structure, measured in electronvolts. | E above hull (eV/atom)Thermodynamic distance from the convex hull for this structure, normalized per atom. Lower is generally more stable. | E/atom (eV)Computed total energy normalized per atom. Use energy above hull, not this value alone, when comparing stability. | Density (g/cm³)Mass per relaxed crystal volume, reported in grams per cubic centimeter. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.30 | 0.0000 | -0.353 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.21 | 0.0000 | -7.099 | 1.76 |
| — | — | 0.39 | 0.0064 | -0.281 | — |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 0.95 | 0.0156 | -0.337 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0415 | -0.246 | — |
| — | — | 0.94 | 0.0645 | -0.223 | — |
| — | — | 0.94 | 0.0652 | -0.222 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.1244 | -0.163 | — |
| Pm-3m (No. 221) | cubic | 0.00 | 0.1868 | -0.166 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.2265 | -0.061 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | — | — | — | 1.73 |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | — | — | — | 1.75 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about K3P, answered from cross-validated data.
What is K3P?
K3P is a stable, semiconducting binary phosphide composed of potassium and phosphorus.
What is the band gap of K3P?
Is K3P a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is K3P thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of K3P?
How many polymorphs of K3P are known?
What elements does K3P contain?
Where does the data for K3P come from?
How It Compares
As a standalone binary compound within this context, K3P serves as a primary reference point for investigating the structural and electronic behavior of alkali metal phosphides, demonstrating high stability compared to less favorable stoichiometric combinations.
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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