Mg6SiSn2

Mg6SiSn2 is a semimetallic magnesium-based intermetallic compound that is theoretically stable and potentially synthesizable.

MgSiSn
Crystal structure of Mg6SiSn2 (orthorhombic, Immm (No. 71))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Mg6SiSn2

Mg6SiSn2 is a complex intermetallic compound composed of magnesium, silicon, and tin. Its electronic structure is characterized as a near-zero-gap semimetal, placing it in a unique position between traditional semiconductors and metallic conductors.

This material is considered to be near the thermodynamic hull, suggesting that it is likely synthesizable under appropriate experimental conditions. With multiple reported structures across major databases, it remains a subject of interest for researchers investigating multi-element magnesium-based systems.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Mg6SiSn2, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.01 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.012 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Near hull (likely stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

5
3 databases, 1 space group
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for Mg6SiSn2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
Immm (No. 71)orthorhombic0.010.0119-2.7163.07
Immm (No. 71)Orthorhombic3.07
Immm (No. 71)Orthorhombic3.15
Immm (No. 71)Orthorhombic3.14
Immm (No. 71)
Uses

Applications

Where Mg6SiSn2 is used.

Materials science researchElectronic property studiesAlloy development
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Mg6SiSn2, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Mg6SiSn2?

Mg6SiSn2 is a semimetallic magnesium-based intermetallic compound that is theoretically stable and potentially synthesizable.

More questions
What is Mg6SiSn2 used for?
Mg6SiSn2 is used in materials science research, electronic property studies, and alloy development.
What is the band gap of Mg6SiSn2?
Mg6SiSn2 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.01 eV across 5 reported structures.
Is Mg6SiSn2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a near-zero band gap it behaves as a (semi)metal.
Is Mg6SiSn2 thermodynamically stable?
Mg6SiSn2 has a lowest energy above hull of 0.012 eV/atom (near hull (likely stable)).
What is the crystal structure of Mg6SiSn2?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of Mg6SiSn2 is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Immm (No. 71).
What is the density of Mg6SiSn2?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of Mg6SiSn2 is 3.07 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of Mg6SiSn2 are known?
5 structures of Mg6SiSn2 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 1 distinct space group.
What elements does Mg6SiSn2 contain?
Mg6SiSn2 contains Mg, Si, and Sn (3 elements).
Where does the data for Mg6SiSn2 come from?
Mg6SiSn2 data is cross-referenced from materials_project, mpaloe, jarvis.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a specialized intermetallic phase, Mg6SiSn2 represents a distinct combination of group 14 elements with magnesium. While it does not belong to a broad, widely-categorized family of materials, its semimetallic nature makes it a notable candidate for studies focused on electronic tuning and structural stability in ternary magnesium alloys.

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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