OsC2
OsC2 is a metastable, semimetallic compound consisting of osmium and carbon that appears in numerous structural configurations.
About OsC2
OsC2 is a semimetallic carbide compound composed of osmium and carbon. It is characterized by a near-zero band gap, placing it in the electronic regime of semimetals, which often exhibit unique transport properties compared to traditional insulators or metals.
Despite its existence in a high number of reported structural configurations, the compound is identified as being above the thermodynamic hull. This indicates that it is a metastable phase, requiring specific synthesis conditions to stabilize its structure relative to its constituent elements.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for OsC2, 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.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for OsC2, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.05 | 0.5798 | -23.713 | 12.41 |
| P-6m2 (No. 187) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.6012 | -23.692 | 12.41 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 8.98 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 13.12 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 13.99 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 13.34 |
| C2/c (No. 15) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 10.38 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 14.05 |
| C2/c (No. 15) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 7.92 |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | Hexagonal | — | — | — | 13.93 |
| Cmcm (No. 63) | Orthorhombic | — | — | — | 8.20 |
| Fddd (No. 70) | Orthorhombic | — | — | — | 15.87 |
Applications
Where OsC2 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about OsC2, answered from cross-validated data.
What is OsC2?
OsC2 is a metastable, semimetallic compound consisting of osmium and carbon that appears in numerous structural configurations.
What is OsC2 used for?
What is the band gap of OsC2?
Is OsC2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is OsC2 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of OsC2?
What is the density of OsC2?
How many polymorphs of OsC2 are known?
What elements does OsC2 contain?
Where does the data for OsC2 come from?
How It Compares
As a metastable semimetallic carbide, OsC2 represents a complex structural challenge within the broader landscape of transition metal carbides, where it serves as a subject of interest for understanding high-pressure synthesis and phase stability in heavy-metal systems.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
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