NaI

Sodium iodide · NaI

Sodium iodide is a stable, insulating salt primarily used for its ability to detect ionizing radiation.

INa
Crystal structure of NaI
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Sodium iodide

Sodium iodide is a thermodynamically stable inorganic salt that functions as a wide-band-gap insulator. Its electronic structure is characterized by a significant energy gap that prevents electrical conduction under standard conditions, making it an ideal candidate for optical and radiation-detection applications.

Due to its high structural reliability and well-documented physical properties, this compound is a cornerstone in the field of radiation physics. It is frequently utilized in devices that require the conversion of high-energy particles into detectable light pulses, serving as a critical component in diagnostic equipment.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Sodium iodide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

2.75–3.57 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

47
4 databases, 12 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting NaI.

Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where Sodium iodide is used.

Scintillation detectorsMedical imagingRadiation detectionChemical synthesis
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Sodium iodide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is NaI?

Sodium iodide is a stable, insulating salt primarily used for its ability to detect ionizing radiation.

More questions
What is NaI used for?
Sodium iodide (NaI) is used in scintillation detectors, medical imaging, radiation detection, and chemical synthesis.
What is the band gap of NaI?
Sodium iodide (NaI) has a DFT-computed band gap of 2.75–3.57 eV across 47 reported structures.
Is NaI a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 3.57 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is NaI thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Sodium iodide (NaI) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of NaI are known?
47 structures of NaI are reported across 4 databases, spanning 12 distinct space groups.
How is NaI synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for NaI include solid state (4 procedures documented).
What elements does NaI contain?
Sodium iodide (NaI) contains I and Na (2 elements).
Where does the data for NaI come from?
NaI data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a fundamental halide, sodium iodide occupies a central role in the study of alkali metal salts. It is recognized for its high degree of structural stability and is one of the most frequently characterized materials in its class, serving as a benchmark for performance in scintillation technology.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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