Dilute Element Compounds: A Route to Enriching Inorganic Functional Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

• Developing new functional materials requires expanding the inorganic material database.
• Doping is a key strategy for modifying material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the concept of dilute element compounds (DECs) with ordered dopant distribution.
• To explore the potential of DECs for advanced applications and new material discovery.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of diluteness in DECs.
• Development of a classification scheme for DECs.

Main Results:

• DECs feature a small amount of dopant element in an ordered crystalline arrangement.
• DECs exhibit improved resistance to segregation compared to dilute alloys or solid solutions.
• Established limits of diluteness in existing DECs.

Conclusions:

• DECs represent a promising route for dispersing functional elements, e.g., in single-atom catalysts.
• DECs can lead to the discovery of novel inorganic functional materials by controlling phase transitions and tuning properties.
• Potential applications include thermoelectrics and solid-state electrolytes for batteries.