PbClO

PbClO is a semiconducting lead oxyhalide compound that is considered thermodynamically unstable.

ClOPb
Crystal structure of PbClO (orthorhombic, Pnma (No. 62))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About PbClO

PbClO is a complex lead-based oxyhalide that exhibits semiconducting electronic properties. Its structural arrangement is characterized by a high degree of diversity, as evidenced by the numerous distinct configurations reported across multiple materials databases.

Despite its structural variety, the compound is categorized as being above the thermodynamic hull, suggesting it is inherently unstable under standard conditions. This metastability makes it a subject of interest for researchers investigating phase formation and synthetic pathways in lead-based inorganic chemistry.

At a glance

Key Properties

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

Band Gap

1.00 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: metal

Energy Above Hull

0.159 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Unstable
3 DFT sources

Structures

16
3 databases, 6 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of PbClO. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: low

Hull Spread

0.961 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: Pnma (No. 62))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

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

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——0.000.1590-1.102—
——0.000.1789-1.082—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.000.4806-4.4746.90
P-6m2 (No. 187)hexagonal0.001.12000.032—
Pm (No. 6)monoclinic1.001.23390.145—
P1 (No. 1)triclinic———6.71
P21 (No. 4)monoclinic———5.73
P-1 (No. 2)triclinic———6.76
P1 (No. 1)triclinic———5.03
Cm (No. 8)monoclinic———5.56
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.16
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.16
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

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

What is PbClO?

PbClO is a semiconducting lead oxyhalide compound that is considered thermodynamically unstable.

More questions
What is the band gap of PbClO?
PbClO has a DFT-computed band gap of 1.00 eV across 16 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is PbClO a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 1.00 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is PbClO thermodynamically stable?
PbClO has a lowest energy above hull of 0.159 eV/atom (unstable).
What is the crystal structure of PbClO?
The reference structure of PbClO is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma (No. 62).
What is the density of PbClO?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of PbClO is 6.90 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of PbClO are known?
16 structures of PbClO are reported across 3 databases, spanning 6 distinct space groups.
What elements does PbClO contain?
PbClO contains Cl, O, and Pb (3 elements).
Where does the data for PbClO come from?
PbClO data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe, cod.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique lead oxyhalide, PbClO occupies a niche position in materials science where its semiconducting nature is balanced against its thermodynamic instability. Unlike more robust, naturally occurring minerals, this compound serves as a critical case study for understanding the synthesis of metastable phases that do not easily persist in equilibrium.

Data sources & attribution
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.
  • cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database (crystallography.net/cod/). Cite: Grazulis et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 42, 726 (2009). (CC0-1.0)

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