Li3P

trilithium phosphide · lithium phosphide

Li3P is a stable, semiconducting binary compound composed of lithium and phosphorus.

LiP
Crystal structure of Li3P (hexagonal, P63/mmc (No. 194))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About trilithium phosphide

Li3P is a binary phosphide that exhibits semiconducting electronic behavior. As a material that resides on the convex hull, it is recognized for its thermodynamic stability, making it a reliable subject for structural and chemical investigations.

Its unique electronic properties and structural integrity have made it a point of interest in materials science. Researchers study this compound to better understand the behavior of lithium-based semiconductors and their potential roles in specialized chemical synthesis and solid-state applications.

At a glance

Key Properties

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

Band Gap

0.70 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

10
3 databases, 3 space groups
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for Li3P, 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)hexagonal0.700.0000-4.8501.48
P63/mmc (No. 194)
P63/mmc (No. 194)
P63/mmc (No. 194)Hexagonal1.46
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic0.86
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic0.82
P63/mmc (No. 194)Hexagonal1.47
P63/mmc (No. 194)Hexagonal1.48
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic0.80
P6/mmm (No. 191)
Uses

Applications

Where trilithium phosphide is used.

solid-state electrolyte researchchemical synthesissemiconductor materials development
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about trilithium phosphide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Li3P?

Li3P is a stable, semiconducting binary compound composed of lithium and phosphorus.

More questions
What is Li3P used for?
trilithium phosphide (Li3P) is used in solid-state electrolyte research, chemical synthesis, and semiconductor materials development.
What is the band gap of Li3P?
trilithium phosphide (Li3P) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.70 eV across 10 reported structures.
Is Li3P a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 0.70 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is Li3P thermodynamically stable?
Yes — trilithium phosphide (Li3P) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
What is the crystal structure of Li3P?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of trilithium phosphide (Li3P) is hexagonal symmetry, space group P63/mmc (No. 194).
What is the density of Li3P?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of trilithium phosphide (Li3P) is 1.48 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of Li3P are known?
10 structures of Li3P are reported across 3 databases, spanning 3 distinct space groups.
What elements does Li3P contain?
trilithium phosphide (Li3P) contains Li and P (2 elements).
Where does the data for Li3P come from?
Li3P data is cross-referenced from materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a binary lithium phosphide, this compound serves as a fundamental reference point for understanding the interaction between alkali metals and pnictogens. It occupies a distinct position in the landscape of inorganic semiconductors, providing a stable baseline for exploring the electronic and structural trends of lithium-based materials.

Data sources & attribution
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
  • mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.

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