Na2FeO4

sodium ferrate(VI) · sodium ferrate

Sodium ferrate is a metastable, semiconducting iron-based oxide primarily utilized for its high-performance oxidative capabilities in environmental applications.

Crystal structure of Na2FeO4 (orthorhombic, Cmcm (No. 63))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About sodium ferrate(VI)

Sodium ferrate is a metastable member of the layered sodium transition-metal oxide family. Characterized by its semiconducting electronic nature, this compound represents a high-oxidation state iron phase that is of significant interest in inorganic chemistry research. Its structural complexity is highlighted by the multiple reported crystal variations found across materials databases.

This material is primarily valued for its potent oxidative properties. Because it contains iron in a high oxidation state, it serves as a powerful reagent in environmental remediation and water treatment processes, where it acts as a green oxidant that decomposes into benign iron-based byproducts.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for sodium ferrate(VI), aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

1.14–1.37 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.071 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Metastable
2 DFT sources

Structures

14
3 databases, 3 space groups
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for Na2FeO4, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
Cmcm (No. 63)orthorhombic1.140.0707-5.7662.77
P-1 (No. 2)triclinic1.370.0965-5.7412.29
Pnnm (No. 58)orthorhombic0.000.1501-5.6872.66
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic2.77
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic2.93
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic2.83
P-1 (No. 2)Triclinic2.29
P-1 (No. 2)Triclinic2.41
P-1 (No. 2)Triclinic2.33
Pnnm (No. 58)
Cmcm (No. 63)
Pnnm (No. 58)Orthorhombic2.66
Uses

Applications

Where sodium ferrate(VI) is used.

Water treatmentEnvironmental remediationChemical oxidationDisinfection processes
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about sodium ferrate(VI), answered from cross-validated data.

What is Na2FeO4?

Sodium ferrate is a metastable, semiconducting iron-based oxide primarily utilized for its high-performance oxidative capabilities in environmental applications.

More questions
What is Na2FeO4 used for?
sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) is used in water treatment, environmental remediation, chemical oxidation, and disinfection processes.
What is the band gap of Na2FeO4?
sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) has a DFT-computed band gap of 1.14–1.37 eV across 14 reported structures.
Is Na2FeO4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 1.37 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is Na2FeO4 thermodynamically stable?
sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) has a lowest energy above hull of 0.071 eV/atom (metastable).
What is the crystal structure of Na2FeO4?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Cmcm (No. 63).
What is the density of Na2FeO4?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) is 2.77 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of Na2FeO4 are known?
14 structures of Na2FeO4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 3 distinct space groups.
What elements does Na2FeO4 contain?
sodium ferrate(VI) (Na2FeO4) contains Fe, Na, and O (3 elements).
Where does the data for Na2FeO4 come from?
Na2FeO4 data is cross-referenced from materials_project, mpaloe, jarvis.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the layered sodium transition-metal oxides class.

Within the broader family of layered sodium transition-metal oxides, Na2FeO4 is distinct due to the high oxidation state of its iron center compared to more common phases like NaFeO2. While many siblings such as NaCoO2 or NaMnO2 are extensively studied for their electrochemical performance in battery cathodes, Na2FeO4 is more frequently highlighted for its unique chemical reactivity and potential as a specialized oxidant.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Layered Sodium Transition-Metal Oxides in the database.

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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