Rb4Sb12Se20
Rb4Sb12Se20 is a stable, semiconducting quaternary chalcogenide material investigated for its potential applications in thermoelectric energy conversion.

About Rb4Sb12Se20
Rb4Sb12Se20 is a complex semiconducting chalcogenide that exists as a thermodynamically stable phase on the convex hull. Its structural complexity and electronic properties make it a subject of interest for researchers investigating advanced thermoelectric materials that can efficiently convert heat into electricity.
As part of the broader family of chalcogenide-based semiconductors, this compound is studied for its potential to manipulate phonon and electron transport. Its stability and distinct chemical composition provide a unique platform for exploring solid-state physics in the context of energy harvesting technologies.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Rb4Sb12Se20, aggregated across 4 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 Rb4Sb12Se20, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pnma (No. 62) | orthorhombic | 0.68 | 0.0000 | -4.143 | 5.01 |
| P21/c (No. 14) | monoclinic | 1.26 | 0.0051 | -4.138 | 5.04 |
| Pnma (No. 62) | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | — | — | — | — | 4.54 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 1.32 |
Applications
Where Rb4Sb12Se20 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Rb4Sb12Se20, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Rb4Sb12Se20?
Rb4Sb12Se20 is a stable, semiconducting quaternary chalcogenide material investigated for its potential applications in thermoelectric energy conversion.
What is Rb4Sb12Se20 used for?
What is the band gap of Rb4Sb12Se20?
Is Rb4Sb12Se20 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Rb4Sb12Se20 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Rb4Sb12Se20?
What is the density of Rb4Sb12Se20?
How many polymorphs of Rb4Sb12Se20 are known?
What elements does Rb4Sb12Se20 contain?
Where does the data for Rb4Sb12Se20 come from?
How It Compares
Within the bismuth chalcogenide thermoelectrics class.
While classic thermoelectric materials like Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 are widely utilized for their optimized performance, Rb4Sb12Se20 represents a more structurally intricate alternative within the chalcogenide class. Unlike the simpler binary systems such as Sb2Se3, this quaternary compound offers a different approach to tuning thermal conductivity through its complex lattice arrangement.
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).
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
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