Mg2C3
Mg2C3 is a semiconducting magnesium carbide that exists in a metastable state with diverse structural possibilities.

About Mg2C3
Mg2C3 is a magnesium-based carbide that exhibits semiconducting electronic behavior. Its structural complexity is highlighted by a significant number of reported configurations across multiple databases, reflecting an intricate arrangement of carbon and magnesium atoms.
Due to its position above the thermodynamic hull, this compound is considered metastable. This characteristic makes it a subject of interest for researchers investigating high-pressure synthesis and the fundamental limits of carbide stability in materials science.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Mg2C3, 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.
Applications
Where Mg2C3 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Mg2C3, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Mg2C3?
Mg2C3 is a semiconducting magnesium carbide that exists in a metastable state with diverse structural possibilities.
What is Mg2C3 used for?
What is the band gap of Mg2C3?
Is Mg2C3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Mg2C3 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of Mg2C3 are known?
What elements does Mg2C3 contain?
Where does the data for Mg2C3 come from?
How It Compares
As a unique carbide phase, Mg2C3 occupies a distinct niche in the study of binary magnesium-carbon systems. While many carbides are highly stable, this compound serves as a critical case study for understanding the synthesis challenges and structural diversity inherent in non-equilibrium phases.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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