ScBr3

Scandium tribromide is a thermodynamically stable, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily used as a chemical precursor and reagent.

BrSc
Crystal structure of ScBr3 (hexagonal, P63/mmc (No. 194))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About ScBr3

Scandium tribromide is a stable inorganic halide that exists on the thermodynamic convex hull, indicating robust structural integrity under standard conditions. As a semiconducting material, it serves as a fundamental building block in inorganic chemistry and materials science research.

Its utility is supported by a significant body of structural data, reflecting its importance in laboratory-scale applications. The compound is frequently utilized as a precursor for synthesizing other scandium-containing materials and as a catalyst in various chemical transformations.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for ScBr3, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.65–3.50 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: wide gap

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
3 DFT sources

Structures

46
3 databases, 9 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of ScBr3. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.87 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.033 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: P63/mmc (No. 194))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for ScBr3, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——3.140.0000-1.976—
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal2.230.0000-4.8803.15
——2.990.0079-1.968—
——2.980.0103-1.966—
P4/mmm (No. 123)tetragonal0.000.0326-1.111—
——1.920.0558-1.920—
——2.680.0895-1.887—
——2.590.1023-1.874—
——2.490.1025-1.874—
——3.500.1885-1.788—
——0.770.4299-1.546—
——0.970.9340-1.042—
Uses

Applications

Where ScBr3 is used.

Chemical synthesisCatalysisPrecursor for scandium-based materials
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ScBr3, answered from cross-validated data.

What is ScBr3?

Scandium tribromide is a thermodynamically stable, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily used as a chemical precursor and reagent.

More questions
What is ScBr3 used for?
ScBr3 is used in chemical synthesis, catalysis, and precursor for scandium-based materials.
What is the band gap of ScBr3?
ScBr3 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.65–3.50 eV across 46 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is ScBr3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a wide band gap of up to 3.50 eV (an insulator or wide-band-gap material).
Is ScBr3 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — ScBr3 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of ScBr3?
The reference structure of ScBr3 is hexagonal symmetry, space group P63/mmc (No. 194).
What is the density of ScBr3?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of ScBr3 is 3.15 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of ScBr3 are known?
46 structures of ScBr3 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 9 distinct space groups.
What elements does ScBr3 contain?
ScBr3 contains Br and Sc (2 elements).
Where does the data for ScBr3 come from?
ScBr3 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a primary scandium halide, this compound serves as a critical reference point for understanding the behavior of group 3 metal halides, providing a stable baseline for comparing electronic and structural properties within the broader family of metal bromides.

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.

Analyze ScBr3 in the Lattice Graph platform

Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 85 source databases.

Explore the Platform →
Results are informational and should be validated by qualified professionals. See Terms of Service