MnAl2O4
galaxite · manganese aluminate
MnAl2O4 is a stable, semiconducting manganese aluminate spinel used as a catalyst in oxygen-evolution reactions.
About galaxite
MnAl2O4 is a thermodynamically stable oxide that crystallizes in a spinel structure. As a semiconducting material, it is recognized for its structural robustness and potential utility in electrochemical processes, particularly within the field of oxygen-evolution catalysis.
This compound represents an important intersection of mineralogy and materials science. Its inherent stability makes it a subject of interest for researchers seeking durable, earth-abundant alternatives to more expensive or volatile catalytic oxides in energy conversion applications.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for galaxite, 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.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of MnAl2O4. 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 MnAl2O4, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | 2.66 | 0.0000 | -8.254 | 4.19 |
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | 1.81 | 0.0000 | -2.799 | — |
| — | — | 2.92 | 0.0003 | -2.957 | — |
| — | — | 2.94 | 0.0015 | -2.956 | — |
| — | — | 2.88 | 0.0046 | -2.953 | — |
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | 2.08 | 0.0072 | -2.792 | — |
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | — | — | — | 4.32 |
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | — | — | — | 4.18 |
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | — | — | — | 4.01 |
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting MnAl2O4.
Applications
Where galaxite is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about galaxite, answered from cross-validated data.
What is MnAl2O4?
MnAl2O4 is a stable, semiconducting manganese aluminate spinel used as a catalyst in oxygen-evolution reactions.
What is MnAl2O4 used for?
What is the band gap of MnAl2O4?
Is MnAl2O4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is MnAl2O4 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of MnAl2O4?
What is the density of MnAl2O4?
How many polymorphs of MnAl2O4 are known?
How is MnAl2O4 synthesized?
What elements does MnAl2O4 contain?
Where does the data for MnAl2O4 come from?
How It Compares
Within the oxide oxygen-evolution catalysts class.
Within the diverse family of oxide oxygen-evolution catalysts, MnAl2O4 occupies a distinct niche compared to highly active, transition-metal-heavy compounds like LiCoO2 or LaNiO3. While siblings such as LiMn2O4 are frequently utilized for their electrochemical reactivity in battery systems, MnAl2O4 is valued for its structural integrity and stability, offering a different performance profile for catalytic environments where long-term durability is prioritized over peak reactivity.
Related Compounds
Other Oxide Oxygen-Evolution Catalysts in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (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)
- 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)
- mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.
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