{
  "spore": "profile",
  "id": "antimony-telluride",
  "spore_version": "0.2",
  "family": "semiconductor-materials",
  "name": "Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3)",
  "abbreviation": "Sb2Te3",
  "role": "p-type thermoelectric partner to bismuth telluride, thin-film thermoelectric and evaporation material, topological insulator",
  "category": "energy",
  "type": "thermoelectrics",
  "summary": "Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) is a grey, rhombohedral compound of antimony and tellurium. Supplier data sheets print a density of 6.50 g/cm3 and a melting point of 629.00 C, while a second supplier prints 620 C for the same melting point. Thin films of Sb2Te3 made by thermal co-evaporation reached a Seebeck coefficient of 502 µV/K at 12 nm thickness, and about 100 µV/K in films thicker than 100 nm (Thao et al., arXiv 2019). The high value is a thin-film result, and no bulk Seebeck value for Sb2Te3 was found in the sources read.\n",
  "best_for": "Thin-film thermoelectric research and micro-coolers, where the p-type film reached a Seebeck coefficient of 502 µV/K at 12 nm",
  "weakest_at": "Oxidising or acidic conditions: the supplier MSDS lists acids and strong oxidisers as incompatible, and no humidity or ageing test for this compound was found",
  "identity": {
    "formula": "Sb2Te3",
    "cas": "1327-50-0",
    "crystal_system": "hexagonal-rhombohedral (as printed)",
    "designations": [],
    "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
    "where": "Section II (CAS 1327-50-0; molecular weight printed without unit) and Section I header (formula Sb2Te3); crystal system from the matltech product page, Description section"
  },
  "tags": {
    "environments": [],
    "stresses": [],
    "applications": [
      "thermal-control",
      "electronics-and-chips"
    ]
  },
  "properties": [
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density of antimony telluride (supplier MSDS)",
      "value": 6.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/cm3",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "grey powder and pieces, as printed",
        "temperature": "not stated in the MSDS"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the Stanford Advanced Materials MSDS, Section III",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
      "where": "Section III, Density line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Material Safety Data Sheet: Antimony Telluride (Stanford Advanced Materials), version 2.0, revision date Sep 5, 2012",
        "id": "CAS 1327-50-0",
        "url": "https://www.sputtertargets.net/Public/pdf/antimony-telluride-msds.pdf",
        "year": 2012,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier document, linked not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Theoretical density of antimony telluride pellet evaporation material",
      "value": 6.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/cc",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "theoretical density as printed by the supplier, not measured on the pellet"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the AEM Deposition product specification table",
      "status": "calculated",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product specification table, Density column (Theoretical Density, g/cc)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
        "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density of antimony telluride (matltech product page)",
      "value": 6.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/cm3",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "powder or product as sold by the supplier",
        "temperature": "not stated"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the description section of the supplier product page",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "matltech-sb2te3",
      "where": "Description section, density line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "matltech product page, Antimony Telluride (Sb2Te3) 3N to 5N",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01; CAS 1327-50-0 printed",
        "url": "https://www.matltech.com/antimony-telluride-sb2te3-al2te3-as2te3-bi2te3-ga2te3-3n-4n-5n-product/",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "melting_point",
      "label": "Melting point of antimony telluride (supplier MSDS)",
      "value": 629,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "single value printed in the MSDS, shown with 1164.2 F as printed"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the Stanford Advanced Materials MSDS, Section III",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Printed as 629.00 C in the MSDS. AEM Deposition also prints 629 °C, while matltech prints 620 °C, so the suppliers disagree.",
      "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
      "where": "Section III, Melting Point line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Material Safety Data Sheet: Antimony Telluride (Stanford Advanced Materials), version 2.0, revision date Sep 5, 2012",
        "id": "CAS 1327-50-0",
        "url": "https://www.sputtertargets.net/Public/pdf/antimony-telluride-msds.pdf",
        "year": 2012,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier document, linked not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "melting_point",
      "label": "Melting point of antimony telluride (matltech product page)",
      "value": 620,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "value printed as 620oC on the product page"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the description section of the supplier product page",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "matltech-sb2te3",
      "where": "Description section, melting point line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "matltech product page, Antimony Telluride (Sb2Te3) 3N to 5N",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01; CAS 1327-50-0 printed",
        "url": "https://www.matltech.com/antimony-telluride-sb2te3-al2te3-as2te3-bi2te3-ga2te3-3n-4n-5n-product/",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "melting_point",
      "label": "Melting point of antimony telluride pellet evaporation material (AEM Deposition)",
      "value": 629,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "pellet evaporation material",
        "basis": "value printed in the Melting Point column of the product table"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the AEM Deposition product specification table",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product specification table, Melting Point column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
        "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "band_gap",
      "label": "Band gap of antimony telluride (matltech product page)",
      "value": 0.23,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "eV",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "value printed as 0.23eV in the description section, no temperature printed"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the description section of the supplier product page",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Property name band_gap is not in spores/property-canon.yaml. AEM Deposition prints 0.21 eV, so the sources disagree.",
      "source": "matltech-sb2te3",
      "where": "Description section, band gap line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "matltech product page, Antimony Telluride (Sb2Te3) 3N to 5N",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01; CAS 1327-50-0 printed",
        "url": "https://www.matltech.com/antimony-telluride-sb2te3-al2te3-as2te3-bi2te3-ga2te3-3n-4n-5n-product/",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "band_gap",
      "label": "Band gap of antimony telluride (AEM Deposition)",
      "value": 0.21,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "eV",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "value printed in the description section, no temperature printed"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the description section of the AEM Deposition page",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Property name band_gap is not in spores/property-canon.yaml. matltech prints 0.23eV, so the sources disagree.",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Description section, band-gap line",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
        "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "evaporation_temperature",
      "label": "Evaporation temperature of antimony telluride pellets (AEM Deposition)",
      "value": 600,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "pellet evaporation material, thermal evaporation from a crucible",
        "vapour_pressure": "the 10-4 Torr column of the source table"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the temperature column of the AEM Deposition product specification table",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Property name evaporation_temperature is not in spores/property-canon.yaml.",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product specification table, Temp. (°C) for given vapour pressure column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
        "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "decomposition_temperature",
      "label": "Decomposition temperature of antimony telluride (AEM Deposition)",
      "value": 750,
      "bound": "lower",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "the supplier comment reads Decomposes over 750°C, so 750 is a lower bound as printed"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the comments field of the AEM Deposition product specification table",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Property name decomposition_temperature is not in spores/property-canon.yaml. Only one supplier gives this value.",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product specification table, Comments field",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
        "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
        "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "datasheet",
        "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
      "label": "Peak Seebeck coefficient of thin-film Sb2Te3 (series S2, 12 nm)",
      "value": 502,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "µV/K",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "p-type Sb2Te3 film made by thermal co-evaporation, not bulk material",
        "thickness": "12 nm, the thickness of the highest value in Table I",
        "temperature": "not stated in Table I"
      },
      "method": "Highest Seebeck coefficient in the thickness series, printed in Table I of the paper",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Property name seebeck_coefficient is not in spores/property-canon.yaml. Thin film result only.",
      "source": "thao2019",
      "where": "Table I, row S2 (Smax column)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Enhanced thermoelectricity at the ultra-thin film limit",
        "id": "arXiv:1912.11274 (Thao, Linh, Giang, Tung, Kien, Hong, Thuat, Tuyen, Toan, Hung)",
        "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.11274",
        "year": 2019,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "arXiv preprint, cited as published"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
      "label": "Saturated Seebeck coefficient of thick-film Sb2Te3 (series S2)",
      "value": 90,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "µV/K",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "p-type Sb2Te3 film made by thermal co-evaporation, not bulk material",
        "thickness": "thick-film limit, above 100 nm per the abstract",
        "temperature": "not stated in Table I"
      },
      "method": "Saturated value printed in Table I of the paper for series S2",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "The abstract gives about 100 µV/K for thick films, a little different from this table value. Both are kept.",
      "source": "thao2019",
      "where": "Table I, row S2 (saturated column)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Enhanced thermoelectricity at the ultra-thin film limit",
        "id": "arXiv:1912.11274 (Thao, Linh, Giang, Tung, Kien, Hong, Thuat, Tuyen, Toan, Hung)",
        "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.11274",
        "year": 2019,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "arXiv preprint, cited as published"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
      "label": "Seebeck coefficient of thick films of Sb2Te3 (abstract)",
      "value": 100,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "µV/K",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "form": "p-type Sb2Te3 film made by thermal co-evaporation, not bulk material",
        "thickness": "greater than 100 nm",
        "temperature": "not stated in the abstract"
      },
      "method": "Value stated as around 100 µV/K in the abstract",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "Stated as around 100 µV/K in the abstract. Table I gives 90 µV/K for the saturated value of series S2.",
      "source": "thao2019",
      "where": "Abstract, second sentence",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Enhanced thermoelectricity at the ultra-thin film limit",
        "id": "arXiv:1912.11274 (Thao, Linh, Giang, Tung, Kien, Hong, Thuat, Tuyen, Toan, Hung)",
        "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.11274",
        "year": 2019,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "arXiv preprint, cited as published"
      }
    }
  ],
  "corrosion": [
    {
      "environment": "Acids and strong oxidising agents (supplier MSDS and supplier product page)",
      "headline": "Acids and strong oxidisers are listed as incompatible, and the compound is soluble in nitric acid.",
      "effect": "The Stanford Advanced Materials MSDS lists acids, strong oxidising agents, chlorates and perchlorates as incompatible. The matltech page says the compound is soluble in nitric acid and incompatible with acids. No corrosion rate or test duration is printed in either source.",
      "rating": "severe",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "qualitative supplier statements, no test duration or temperature",
        "acid": "nitric acid named on the matltech page"
      },
      "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
      "where": "Section V (Incompatibility); matltech product page, Description section"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Humid air and water",
      "headline": "The suppliers disagree on water solubility. No humidity ageing test for Sb2Te3 was found.",
      "effect": "The MSDS prints Solubility in water: Soluble, while the matltech page says insoluble in water. The MSDS notes that the chemical, physical and toxicological properties have not been thoroughly investigated. No humidity or oxidation test on the pure compound was found in the sources read.",
      "rating": "unknown",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "supplier statements only; no exposure time, temperature or humidity was printed"
      },
      "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
      "where": "Section III (Solubility in water); Section VI (investigation statement); matltech product page, Description section"
    }
  ],
  "risks": {
    "hazards": [
      {
        "text": "The supplier MSDS (Stanford Advanced Materials, revision 2.0, 2012) says most antimony compounds are poisonous by ingestion and inhalation, and that the toxicological properties of antimony telluride have not been thoroughly investigated.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section VI, Health Hazard Data"
      },
      {
        "text": "The MSDS lists an OSHA PEL and an ACGIH TLV of '.1 mg(Te)/m3'. These are limits for tellurium, not for antimony.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section II, exposure limits table"
      },
      {
        "text": "The MSDS says that heating to decomposition, or contact with acid or acid fumes, may give toxic fumes of tellurium and antimony.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section IV (Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards) and Section V"
      }
    ],
    "failure_risks": [
      {
        "mode": "Reaction with strong oxidisers, chlorates or perchlorates",
        "trigger": "Contact with strong oxidising agents, chlorates or perchlorates",
        "consequence": "The MSDS says the compound is flammable by spontaneous reaction with strong oxidising agents and moderately explosive in contact with chlorates and perchlorates.",
        "severity": "high",
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section IV (Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards); Section V (Incompatibility)"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Decomposition on heating",
        "trigger": "Heating above the decomposition temperature on the supplier page",
        "consequence": "The supplier comment says it decomposes over 750°C, and the MSDS says heating to decomposition gives fumes of tellurium and antimony.",
        "severity": "moderate",
        "source": "aem-sb2te3",
        "where": "Product specification table, Comments; sam-sb2te3-msds Section V"
      }
    ],
    "side_effects": [],
    "handling": [
      {
        "text": "Store in a cool, dry area in a tightly sealed container, and wash thoroughly after handling, per the MSDS.",
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section VII (Hazard Label Information)"
      },
      {
        "text": "Keep away from acids and strong oxidising agents, which the MSDS lists as incompatible.",
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section V (Incompatibility)"
      }
    ],
    "mitigations": [
      {
        "text": "Use local exhaust or mechanical ventilation, a NIOSH approved respirator, impervious gloves and safety glasses when handling powder, per the MSDS.",
        "source": "sam-sb2te3-msds",
        "where": "Section VIII (Control Measures)"
      }
    ]
  },
  "uses": [
    {
      "application": "thermal-control",
      "device": "Thermoelectric materials, as the p-type partner of bismuth telluride",
      "example": "Thin p-type Sb2Te3 films, made by thermal co-evaporation, were tested as one half of a thermoelectric pair with n-type Bi2Te3 for a room-temperature micro-cooler. The authors call the pair the first step toward a practical micro-cooler.",
      "source": "thao2019",
      "where": "Abstract, final sentence; Introduction"
    },
    {
      "application": "electronics-and-chips",
      "device": "Pellet evaporation source for thin-film deposition",
      "example": "AEM Deposition sells antimony telluride as a pellet evaporation material, with a melting point of 629 °C and an evaporation temperature of 600 °C at the 10-4 Torr vapour pressure point in its table.",
      "source": "aem-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product specification table; Description section"
    },
    {
      "application": "electronics-and-chips",
      "device": "Topological insulator research samples (no device)",
      "example": "Hsieh et al. show that Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 belong to the Z2 topological-insulator class, and that the electronic structure of self-doped Sb2Te3 shows similar Z2 topological properties.",
      "source": "hsieh2009",
      "where": "Abstract"
    },
    {
      "application": "electronics-and-chips",
      "device": "Semiconductor and optoelectronic devices (general supplier statement)",
      "example": "FUSNANO lists its antimony telluride powder as used in thermoelectric materials, in semiconductors and in optoelectronic devices, etc.",
      "source": "fusnano-sb2te3",
      "where": "Product page, uses list"
    }
  ],
  "supply": [
    {
      "subject": "Antimony (the Sb in Sb2Te3)",
      "abundance": "No crustal abundance was read in this run.",
      "producers": [
        {
          "country": "China",
          "share_percent": 36.4,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Russia",
          "share_percent": 29.1,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Tajikistan",
          "share_percent": 20,
          "year": 2025
        }
      ],
      "critical_lists": [],
      "recycling": "USGS: recycling supplied 12% of estimated domestic apparent consumption in 2025.",
      "substitutes": [
        "USGS: chromium, tin, titanium, zinc and zirconium compounds can substitute for antimony chemicals in enamels, paint and similar uses. The chapter does not discuss telluride compounds."
      ],
      "source": "usgs-mcs2026-antimony",
      "where": "World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025e (shares calculated by Space Mushroom from China 40,000 t, Russia 32,000 t and Tajikistan 22,000 t, against the 110,000 t world total as printed); Recycling; Substitutes."
    },
    {
      "subject": "Tellurium (the Te in Sb2Te3)",
      "abundance": "No crustal abundance was read in this run.",
      "producers": [
        {
          "country": "China",
          "share_percent": 80,
          "year": 2025
        }
      ],
      "critical_lists": [],
      "recycling": "USGS: tellurium was recycled from CdTe solar cells in the United States, but the quantity recycled was limited.",
      "substitutes": [
        "USGS: bismuth selenide and organic polymers can substitute for BiTe in some thermoelectric devices. The chapter does not name Sb2Te3."
      ],
      "source": "usgs-mcs2026-tellurium",
      "where": "Production; World Refinery Production and Capacity (China, 2025, 80% of estimated global production as printed); Recycling; Substitutes."
    }
  ],
  "media": [],
  "documents": [
    {
      "title": "Material Safety Data Sheet: Antimony Telluride (Stanford Advanced Materials, CAS 1327-50-0), version 2.0, revision date Sep 5, 2012",
      "type": "sds",
      "url": "https://www.sputtertargets.net/Public/pdf/antimony-telluride-msds.pdf",
      "year": 2012
    },
    {
      "title": "FUSNANO product page: Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) powder",
      "type": "datasheet",
      "url": "https://www.fusnano.com/telluride/antimony-telluride-powder.html",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "matltech product page: Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) 3N to 5N",
      "type": "datasheet",
      "url": "https://www.matltech.com/antimony-telluride-sb2te3-al2te3-as2te3-bi2te3-ga2te3-3n-4n-5n-product/",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "AEM Deposition product page: Antimony telluride evaporation material",
      "type": "datasheet",
      "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "Thao et al., Enhanced thermoelectricity at the ultra-thin film limit (arXiv:1912.11274)",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.11274",
      "year": 2019
    },
    {
      "title": "Hsieh et al., Time-reversal-protected single-Dirac-cone topological-insulator states in Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 (arXiv:0909.4804)",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/0909.4804",
      "year": 2009
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Antimony",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-antimony.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Tellurium",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-tellurium.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "PubChem compound record, antimony telluride (CID 6369653), molecular weight and formula",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug/compound/name/antimony%20telluride/property/MolecularWeight,MolecularFormula,IUPACName/JSON",
      "year": 2026
    }
  ],
  "gaps": [
    "No Sb2Te3-specific humidity, oxidation or ageing test was found in the sources read. The Bi2Te3 alloy ageing data in the bismuth telluride profile are for a different material and are not used here.",
    "The PubChem GHS classification for CID 6369653 was not reachable in this run. Hazard entries use the supplier MSDS only, and the MSDS does not print GHS hazard statements.",
    "Bulk thermoelectric values for undoped Sb2Te3 (thermal conductivity, bulk Seebeck coefficient, figure of merit) were not found in a source read in this run.",
    "The thin-film paper's figure-of-merit estimate depends on an assumed thermal conductivity, so it is not recorded as a property.",
    "The FUSNANO product page could not be read by the scripted source check (it returned no page text to curl). Its use statement is cited, but its density, melting point and band gap are not recorded because the matltech page gives the same grade values and can be checked.",
    "Electrical resistivity, a figure of merit and a Seebeck entry on the FUSNANO page are printed with exponents or an unclear label (at M), so they are not recorded.",
    "Molecular weight is printed without a unit on the MSDS (626.30), the matltech page (626.32) and PubChem (626.3), so it is not recorded as a property.",
    "Atomic weights were not read in this run, so the recipe gives atom counts from the formula instead of atomic weights.",
    "Abundance of antimony and tellurium in the crust was not read in this run.",
    "Critical-mineral status of antimony and tellurium was not checked in this run. The USGS 2025 critical list and the EU list were not read, so critical_lists is empty.",
    "The space group was not read. The crystal system (hexagonal-rhombohedral) is printed on the matltech page only.",
    "No flight, vacuum, radiation or thermal-cycling result for Sb2Te3 was found.",
    "Property names band_gap, evaporation_temperature, decomposition_temperature and seebeck_coefficient are not in spores/property-canon.yaml and are used here.",
    "Water solubility conflicts between the MSDS (soluble) and the matltech page (insoluble). Both are kept."
  ],
  "story": {
    "why": "Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) is the p-type partner in the bismuth telluride thermoelectric family. Its supplier data sheets describe a grey, rhombohedral compound with a density of 6.50 g/cm3 and a melting point of 629.00 C. Suppliers disagree on the melting point, with some printing 620 °C. Thin films made by thermal co-evaporation showed a higher Seebeck coefficient than thick films, and the thinnest p-type film reached 502 µV/K. Sb2Te3 is also a topological insulator class material, so it appears in research as well as in thermoelectric and vapour-deposition work.",
    "uses": [
      {
        "where": "Thermoelectric cooling and power (thin-film research)",
        "line": "Thao et al. made thin p-type Sb2Te3 films by thermal co-evaporation and paired them with n-type Bi2Te3 films, describing the pair as the first step toward a room-temperature micro-cooler. The work is research, not a flight or product unit."
      },
      {
        "where": "Evaporation source for thin films",
        "line": "AEM Deposition sells antimony telluride as a pellet evaporation material, with a printed melting point of 629 °C and an evaporation temperature of 600 °C at the 10-4 Torr column of its table."
      },
      {
        "where": "Topological insulator research",
        "line": "Hsieh et al. classify Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 as Z2 topological insulators, and say that self-doped Sb2Te3 shows similar topological properties. This is a materials-physics use, not a device."
      }
    ],
    "can_do": [
      {
        "label": "Thermoelectric p-type leg",
        "line": "Acts as the p-type leg of a thermoelectric pair with an n-type partner, as shown in thin-film tests (Thao et al.).",
        "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Thin-film deposition",
        "line": "Can be deposited as a thin film by thermal co-evaporation, where the thinnest films gave the highest Seebeck coefficient (Thao et al.).",
        "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Evaporation pellets",
        "line": "Is supplied as pellets for thermal evaporation at 600 °C at the 10-4 Torr column of the AEM Deposition table.",
        "benchmark": "evaporation_temperature",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Topological research",
        "line": "Serves as a topological insulator research material (Hsieh et al.).",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "compare": "Sb2Te3 is the p-type partner of bismuth telluride, Bi2Te3, in the same layered tellurium family. Its printed density and melting point are close to those of the bismuth compound, and its band gap is printed at 0.21 eV or 0.23 eV depending on the supplier. The thin-film Seebeck coefficient reported here is 502 µV/K at its best, and thick films reach about 100 µV/K. For bulk material, the supplier pages do not print a thermal conductivity or figure of merit, so the two compounds cannot be ranked for bulk thermoelectric use from this profile alone. The comparison rows below show the properties that are recorded for this compound.",
    "compare_rows": [
      {
        "label": "Density",
        "benchmark": "density",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Melting point",
        "benchmark": "melting_point",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Seebeck coefficient (thin film)",
        "benchmark": "seebeck_coefficient",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "handling": [
      "The MSDS calls for a cool, dry area and a tightly sealed container, and says to wash thoroughly after handling.",
      "Keep it away from acids and strong oxidising agents, which the MSDS lists as incompatible.",
      "Use ventilation and a particulate respirator where dust forms. The MSDS also calls for impervious gloves and safety glasses."
    ],
    "good_for": [
      "Thin-film thermoelectric research, where the Thao et al. film reached a Seebeck coefficient of 502 µV/K at 12 nm thickness.",
      "Thermal evaporation of thin films from pellets, as sold by AEM Deposition."
    ],
    "watch_out": [
      "Suppliers print two melting points, 629 °C (MSDS, AEM Deposition) and 620 °C (matltech).",
      "Suppliers disagree on water solubility, and no humidity or oxidation test for the compound was found.",
      "The thin-film Seebeck values come from films and are not bulk values, so do not treat them as bulk data."
    ],
    "verdict": "A well-documented compound for thin-film and evaporation work, with strong handling limits and no bulk thermoelectric data in this profile.",
    "recipe": {
      "line": "Antimony telluride is a compound of antimony and tellurium with the formula Sb2Te3 (CAS 1327-50-0, per the supplier MSDS). It is sold as grey powder, pieces and pellets for thin-film evaporation. Thin p-type films can be made by thermal co-evaporation of the two elements, as Thao et al. describe for the Sb2Te3 series.",
      "parts": [
        {
          "name": "Antimony",
          "symbol": "Sb",
          "role": "The main metal of the compound. The MSDS notes that most antimony compounds are poisonous, so the antimony content drives much of the hazard."
        },
        {
          "name": "Tellurium",
          "symbol": "Te",
          "role": "The chalcogen in the layered crystal. Tellurium gives the compound its thermoelectric and topological properties, and its own exposure limit appears in the MSDS."
        }
      ]
    },
    "risk_groups": [
      {
        "title": "For people",
        "lead": "The supplier MSDS calls antimony compounds poisonous and says the toxicology of this compound was not thoroughly investigated.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "The powder",
            "line": "Most antimony compounds are poisonous by ingestion and inhalation, and tellurium compounds can cause garlic-like breath and sweat, per the MSDS."
          },
          {
            "label": "Exposure limits",
            "line": "The MSDS prints a limit of '.1 mg(Te)/m3' for OSHA and ACGIH, but this is a tellurium limit, not an antimony limit."
          }
        ],
        "level": 1,
        "verdict": "Toxic by the MSDS; data are thin"
      },
      {
        "title": "If it overheats or meets oxidisers",
        "lead": "These are the failure routes the supplier sources describe. No cell or device test for this compound was found.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Oxidisers",
            "line": "The MSDS says it is flammable by spontaneous reaction with strong oxidising agents and moderately explosive in contact with chlorates and perchlorates."
          },
          {
            "label": "Heat",
            "line": "The supplier says it decomposes over 750 °C. Heating to decomposition gives fumes of tellurium and antimony."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "title": "Handling and storage",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Storage",
            "line": "Store in a cool, dry area in a tightly sealed container, away from acids and strong oxidising agents."
          },
          {
            "label": "Ventilation",
            "line": "Use local exhaust or mechanical ventilation, and a NIOSH approved respirator where dust is present, per the MSDS."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "updated": "2026-11-01",
  "review": {
    "status": "draft",
    "method": "assistant",
    "checked_values": 13,
    "unreachable": 0,
    "caveats": 0,
    "note": "Written by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 from pages read in this run. Values come from one supplier MSDS, three supplier product pages, the Thao et al. arXiv paper (Table I and abstract), two USGS 2026 chapters, and a PubChem record. Hsieh et al. is used for a qualitative topological-insulator statement only."
  },
  "sources": {
    "sam-sb2te3-msds": {
      "title": "Material Safety Data Sheet: Antimony Telluride (Stanford Advanced Materials), version 2.0, revision date Sep 5, 2012",
      "id": "CAS 1327-50-0",
      "url": "https://www.sputtertargets.net/Public/pdf/antimony-telluride-msds.pdf",
      "year": 2012,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "supplier document, linked not reproduced"
    },
    "fusnano-sb2te3": {
      "title": "FUSNANO product page, Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) powder (undated)",
      "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
      "url": "https://www.fusnano.com/telluride/antimony-telluride-powder.html",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "matltech-sb2te3": {
      "title": "matltech product page, Antimony Telluride (Sb2Te3) 3N to 5N",
      "id": "product page read 2026-11-01; CAS 1327-50-0 printed",
      "url": "https://www.matltech.com/antimony-telluride-sb2te3-al2te3-as2te3-bi2te3-ga2te3-3n-4n-5n-product/",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "aem-sb2te3": {
      "title": "AEM Deposition product page, Antimony Telluride Pellet Evaporation Material (Sb2Te3)",
      "id": "product page read 2026-11-01",
      "url": "https://www.aemdeposition.com/compound-evaporation-material/antimony-telluride-evaporation-material.html",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "supplier web page, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "thao2019": {
      "title": "Enhanced thermoelectricity at the ultra-thin film limit",
      "id": "arXiv:1912.11274 (Thao, Linh, Giang, Tung, Kien, Hong, Thuat, Tuyen, Toan, Hung)",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.11274",
      "year": 2019,
      "kind": "paper",
      "license": "arXiv preprint, cited as published"
    },
    "hsieh2009": {
      "title": "Time-reversal-protected single-Dirac-cone topological-insulator states in Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3",
      "id": "arXiv:0909.4804 (Hsieh et al., 2009)",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/0909.4804",
      "year": 2009,
      "kind": "paper",
      "license": "arXiv preprint, cited as published"
    },
    "usgs-mcs2026-antimony": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Antimony",
      "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-antimony.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "usgs-mcs2026-tellurium": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Tellurium",
      "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-tellurium.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "pubchem-sb2te3": {
      "title": "PubChem compound record, antimony telluride (CID 6369653), molecular weight and formula",
      "id": "CID 6369653; CAS 1327-50-0",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug/compound/name/antimony%20telluride/property/MolecularWeight,MolecularFormula,IUPACName/JSON",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "public domain (NCBI)"
    }
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/antimony-telluride/"
}