What molecule am I?
Perovskite is a mineral that consists of calcium titanate (CaTiO3), also known as calcium titanium oxide. CaTiO3 is colorless, but perovskite takes on the colors of various impurities, such as iron and copper. The mineral occurs as orthorhombic crystals.
University of Berlin mineralogist Gustavus Rose discovered perovskite in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1839. He named the substance after Russian mineralogist and nobleman Lev Perovski.
The name 鈥減erovskite鈥� is also used broadly for compounds with the structure ABX3, in which A is a metal with oxidation state 2+; B is a metal with oxidation state 4+; and X is a nonmetal, usually oxygen, with oxidation state 2鈥�. Minerals composed of these compounds are likewise called perovskites.
Perovskite, along with the minerals rutile and ilmenite, is valuable as a titanium ore. In addition to Russia, it occurs in such diverse locations as Switzerland, Italy, and Arkansas.
Many oxides with the perovskite structure have physical and chemical properties that make them Their characteristics include electrical conductivity; oxide ion mobility through crystal lattices; thermal and chemical stability; and supermagnetic, photocatalytic, thermoelectric, and dielectric properties. CaTiO3 in particular exhibits
Perovskite hazard information
| Hazard class* | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| Not a hazardous substance or mixture | 听 |
*Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.
MOTW update: June 27, 2022
The mineral perovskite is calcium titanate (CaTiO3), but many inorganic compounds with the structure ABX3 are also called perovskites. These substances have several uses, including photovoltaics in solar cells. This month, Lijun Zhang at Jilin University (Changchun, China), Hairen Tan at Nanking University (China), and their colleagues announced a in flexible thin-film photovoltaics: 24.4%, compared with the previous record of 19.9%.
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Perovskite fast facts
| CAS Reg. No. | 12194-71-7 |
nomenclature | Perovskite [Ca(TiO3)] |
| Empirical formula | CaO3Ti |
| Molar mass | 135.94 g/mol |
| Appearance | Black, brown, yellow, or orange crystals |
| Melting point | 1975 潞C |
| Water solubility | Insoluble |
Over the years, readers have noted that ionic substances are not actually molecules. This is correct, but we use "molecules" in the broadest sense to include them in Molecule of the Week.鈥擡d.
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