KBi

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

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

About KBi

KBi 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.

This material exhibits semiconducting electronic characteristics, making it an intriguing subject for research into specialized electronic and optoelectronic applications. Its structural diversity is highlighted by a significant number of reported configurations across multiple databases.

At a glance

Key Properties

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

Band Gap

0.47–0.66 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

56
3 databases, 11 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of KBi. 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 KBi, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——0.660.0000-0.370—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.470.0000-0.441—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic0.410.0000-32.7365.00
——0.000.1084-0.262—
——0.000.1143-0.256—
——0.000.1873-0.183—
——0.000.1882-0.182—
——0.000.2225-0.148—
——0.000.2364-0.134—
——0.000.65310.283—
——0.000.69930.329—
——0.001.00960.639—
Uses

Applications

Where KBi is used.

Semiconductor researchSolid-state chemistryMaterials science exploration
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

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

What is KBi?

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

More questions
What is KBi used for?
KBi is used in semiconductor research, solid-state chemistry, and materials science exploration.
What is the band gap of KBi?
KBi has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.47–0.66 eV across 56 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is KBi a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 0.66 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is KBi thermodynamically stable?
Yes — KBi sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of KBi?
The reference structure of KBi is monoclinic symmetry, space group P21/c (No. 14).
How many polymorphs of KBi are known?
56 structures of KBi are reported across 3 databases, spanning 11 distinct space groups.
What elements does KBi contain?
KBi contains Bi and K (2 elements).
Where does the data for KBi come from?
KBi data is cross-referenced from oqmd, jarvis, materials_project, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique intermetallic phase, KBi serves as a fundamental reference point for understanding the bonding and structural stability of alkali-metal bismuthides. It occupies a stable position in its phase space, providing a baseline for investigating the electronic properties of similar binary pnictide materials.

Data sources & attribution
  • 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)
  • 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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