Calcium polonide (CaPo) is an

intermetallic compound An intermetallic (also called an intermetallic compound, intermetallic alloy, ordered intermetallic alloy, and a long-range-ordered alloy) is a type of metallic bonding, metallic alloy that forms an ordered solid-state Chemical compound, compoun ...

made up of

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

and

polonium Polonium is a chemical element with the symbol Po and atomic number 84. Polonium is a chalcogen. A rare and highly radioactive metal with no stable isotopes, polonium is chemically similar to selenium and tellurium, though its metallic character ...

. Rather than being found in nature, the compound is entirely synthetic, and difficult to study, due to polonium's high vapor pressure, radioactivity, and easy oxidation in air.

Structure

At atmospheric pressure, it crystalizes in the cubic rock crystal salt structure. At a high pressure of around 16.7 GPa, the structure is predicted to transform to the caesium chloride-type crystal structure.

Electronic properties

Based on theoretical calculations, calcium polonide is predicted to be a

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...

References

Polonides Calcium compounds Rock salt crystal structure {{inorganic-compound-stub

Structure

Electronic properties

See also

References