NbAlO4

NbAlO4 is a thermodynamically stable, insulating oxide catalyst used in advanced material synthesis and surface chemistry applications.

Crystal structure of NbAlO4 (monoclinic, C2/m (No. 12))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About NbAlO4

NbAlO4 is a thermodynamically stable oxide that occupies a distinct position within the spinel oxide catalyst family. Characterized by its wide-gap insulating electronic structure, it offers a robust framework for surface-mediated chemical reactions where electronic localization is critical for performance. The material has been extensively documented across multiple structural databases, reflecting its significant interest in materials science research. Its stability on the convex hull suggests a high degree of structural integrity, making it a reliable candidate for demanding catalytic environments where structural durability is paramount. By leveraging its unique oxide lattice, researchers utilize this compound to explore pathways for selective chemical transformations that require stable, non-conductive support architectures.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for NbAlO4, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

2.61–3.38 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

11
3 databases, 4 space groups
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for NbAlO4, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
C2/m (No. 12)monoclinic3.380.0000-8.8334.27
C2/m (No. 12)monoclinic2.760.0144-8.8184.17
C2/m (No. 12)monoclinic2.740.0375-8.7954.16
C2/m (No. 12)monoclinic2.880.0475-8.7854.15
Cm (No. 8)monoclinic2.610.0510-8.7824.16
C2/m (No. 12)
Cm (No. 8)Monoclinic5.10
C2/m (No. 12)
Cm (No. 8)Monoclinic4.80
P1 (No. 1)Triclinic4.33
I-4m2 (No. 119)
Uses

Applications

Where NbAlO4 is used.

Heterogeneous catalysisChemical synthesis supportSurface chemistry research
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about NbAlO4, answered from cross-validated data.

What is NbAlO4?

NbAlO4 is a thermodynamically stable, insulating oxide catalyst used in advanced material synthesis and surface chemistry applications.

More questions
What is NbAlO4 used for?
NbAlO4 is used in heterogeneous catalysis, chemical synthesis support, and surface chemistry research.
What is the band gap of NbAlO4?
NbAlO4 has a DFT-computed band gap of 2.61–3.38 eV across 11 reported structures.
Is NbAlO4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 3.38 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is NbAlO4 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — NbAlO4 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
What is the crystal structure of NbAlO4?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of NbAlO4 is monoclinic symmetry, space group C2/m (No. 12).
What is the density of NbAlO4?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of NbAlO4 is 4.27 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of NbAlO4 are known?
11 structures of NbAlO4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 4 distinct space groups.
What elements does NbAlO4 contain?
NbAlO4 contains Al, Nb, and O (3 elements).
Where does the data for NbAlO4 come from?
NbAlO4 data is cross-referenced from materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the spinel oxide catalysts class.

Within the broader class of spinel and related oxide catalysts, NbAlO4 serves as a specialized alternative to more common transition metal oxides like CuO or NiO. Unlike the highly conductive or redox-active perovskites such as LaNiO3, NbAlO4 acts as a stable, insulating scaffold, providing a different chemical environment compared to the widely used MgAl2O4 or Al2O3 supports.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Spinel Oxide Catalysts in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
  • mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.

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