KAlSi3O8
Potassium feldspar · K-feldspar, Orthoclase, Microcline, Sanidine
KAlSi3O8 is a stable, insulating aluminosilicate mineral that serves as a vital component in the Earth's crust and various industrial ceramic applications.
About Potassium feldspar
KAlSi3O8 is a prominent member of the aluminosilicate family, characterized by a robust framework structure that grants it exceptional thermodynamic stability. As a wide-gap insulator, it serves as a foundational component in geological formations and industrial materials science.
This compound is widely recognized for its structural versatility, appearing in multiple distinct crystalline arrangements. Its durability and abundance make it a critical subject of study for understanding mineral stability and high-temperature processing in ceramic manufacturing.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Potassium feldspar, aggregated across 3 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.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for KAlSi3O8, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-1 (No. 2) | triclinic | 4.92 | 0.0000 | -7.917 | 2.46 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | triclinic | 4.93 | 0.0042 | -7.913 | 2.45 |
| C2 (No. 5) | monoclinic | 4.75 | 0.0069 | -7.910 | 2.45 |
| Cm (No. 8) | monoclinic | 5.46 | 0.1890 | -7.728 | 3.75 |
| C2 (No. 5) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.45 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.52 |
| C2 (No. 5) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.59 |
| C2 (No. 5) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.51 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.61 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.46 |
| C2 (No. 5) | — | — | — | — | — |
Applications
Where Potassium feldspar is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Potassium feldspar, answered from cross-validated data.
What is KAlSi3O8?
KAlSi3O8 is a stable, insulating aluminosilicate mineral that serves as a vital component in the Earth's crust and various industrial ceramic applications.
What is KAlSi3O8 used for?
What is the band gap of KAlSi3O8?
Is KAlSi3O8 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is KAlSi3O8 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of KAlSi3O8?
What is the density of KAlSi3O8?
How many polymorphs of KAlSi3O8 are known?
What elements does KAlSi3O8 contain?
Where does the data for KAlSi3O8 come from?
How It Compares
Within the aluminosilicates and zeolite frameworks class.
Within the diverse class of aluminosilicates, KAlSi3O8 stands out as a primary alkali-bearing framework compared to the more structurally compact or distinctively layered members like Al2SiO5 or the calcium-rich Sr2Al2SiO7. While it shares the fundamental silicate-aluminate backbone found in NaAlSi3O8, its specific potassium coordination provides unique thermal and chemical properties that distinguish its behavior in both natural igneous processes and synthetic industrial applications.
Related Compounds
Other Aluminosilicates and Zeolite Frameworks in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
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