MgSn
MgSn is a metallic intermetallic compound formed from magnesium and tin that exhibits near-hull stability.
About MgSn
MgSn is a metallic intermetallic compound composed of magnesium and tin. Its electronic character is defined by its metallic nature, lacking a band gap, which influences its behavior in various solid-state environments.
As a near-hull phase, this material is considered likely synthesizable and has attracted significant attention in structural databases. Its presence across numerous reported structures highlights its importance in understanding magnesium-tin binary systems.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for MgSn, aggregated across 4 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.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of MgSn. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for MgSn, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P4/mmm (No. 123) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 0.0212 | -2.924 | 5.06 |
| R-3m (No. 166) | trigonal | 0.00 | 0.0309 | -2.914 | 4.97 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | monoclinic | 0.00 | 0.0317 | -2.914 | 4.95 |
| Pm-3m (No. 221) | cubic | 0.00 | 0.0560 | -2.889 | 4.99 |
| P-6m2 (No. 187) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.0620 | -2.883 | 4.91 |
| Cm (No. 8) | monoclinic | 0.00 | 0.0683 | -2.877 | 4.96 |
| Amm2 (No. 38) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.0692 | -2.876 | 4.79 |
| C2 (No. 5) | monoclinic | 0.00 | 0.0727 | -2.873 | 4.80 |
| Pmmn (No. 59) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.0728 | -2.873 | 4.91 |
| Amm2 (No. 38) | orthorhombic | 0.00 | 0.0893 | -2.856 | 4.79 |
| Cm (No. 8) | monoclinic | 0.00 | 0.0964 | -2.849 | 4.79 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 0.00 | 0.1034 | -2.842 | 4.78 |
Applications
Where MgSn is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about MgSn, answered from cross-validated data.
What is MgSn?
MgSn is a metallic intermetallic compound formed from magnesium and tin that exhibits near-hull stability.
What is MgSn used for?
What is the band gap of MgSn?
Is MgSn a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is MgSn thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of MgSn?
What is the density of MgSn?
How many polymorphs of MgSn are known?
What elements does MgSn contain?
Where does the data for MgSn come from?
How It Compares
As a binary intermetallic, MgSn serves as a fundamental reference point for understanding the phase stability and structural diversity of magnesium-tin alloys, representing a key configuration within its chemical system.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
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