Rb4Sb4Se8
Rb4Sb4Se8 is a stable, semiconducting quaternary chalcogenide used in materials science research for its potential thermoelectric properties.

About Rb4Sb4Se8
Rb4Sb4Se8 is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting compound within the chalcogenide family. Its structural integrity and electronic properties make it a subject of interest for researchers investigating complex inorganic frameworks for potential energy conversion applications.
As a member of the broader class of chalcogenide materials, this compound benefits from well-documented structural data. Its stable nature on the convex hull provides a reliable foundation for studying how alkali metal incorporation influences the transport characteristics of antimony-based semiconductors.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Rb4Sb4Se8, 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 Rb4Sb4Se8, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-1 (No. 2) | triclinic | 1.54 | 0.0000 | -3.950 | 4.47 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | triclinic | 1.12 | 0.0000 | -4.085 | 4.83 |
| P1 (No. 1) | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | — | — | — | — | 4.84 |
Applications
Where Rb4Sb4Se8 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Rb4Sb4Se8, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Rb4Sb4Se8?
Rb4Sb4Se8 is a stable, semiconducting quaternary chalcogenide used in materials science research for its potential thermoelectric properties.
What is Rb4Sb4Se8 used for?
What is the band gap of Rb4Sb4Se8?
Is Rb4Sb4Se8 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Rb4Sb4Se8 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Rb4Sb4Se8?
What is the density of Rb4Sb4Se8?
How many polymorphs of Rb4Sb4Se8 are known?
What elements does Rb4Sb4Se8 contain?
Where does the data for Rb4Sb4Se8 come from?
How It Compares
Within the bismuth chalcogenide thermoelectrics class.
Within the diverse landscape of thermoelectric chalcogenides, Rb4Sb4Se8 occupies a distinct niche compared to classic binary systems like Bi2Te3 or Sb2Se3. While those simpler compounds are foundational standards for thermoelectric performance, the inclusion of rubidium in this quaternary structure allows for more intricate lattice engineering and potential tuning of electronic properties that are not accessible in the more straightforward binary antimonides.
Related Compounds
Other Bismuth Chalcogenide Thermoelectrics in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- aflow — Data from AFLOW. Cite: Curtarolo et al., Comp. Mater. Sci. 58, 218 (2012).
- omat24 — Data from OMat24 (Meta FAIR). Cite: Barroso-Luque et al., arXiv 2410.12771 (2024).
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