mat-ionic-substitution

Predict charge-balanced ionic substitution candidates for crystal structures.

144|21|Updated Jan 8, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/learningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills --skill mat-ionic-substitution
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: mat-ionic-substitution
Source: https://github.com/learningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills/tree/main/.agents/skills/mat-ionic-substitution
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/learningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills --skill mat-ionic-substitution

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires pymatgen, mp-api, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Ionic substitution proposes new crystal structures by swapping ions in charge-balanced ways, enabling discovery of candidate materials without running expensive searches from scratch.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Forward mode (propose): Generate high-probability ion-substituted variants from an existing ordered structure (e.g., NaCoO2 → LiCoO2 and related candidates).
  • Reverse mode (find): Given a target composition, locate known precursor structures in Materials Project whose ion substitutions can produce the target (e.g., Li2ZrCl6 from Li2ZrF6-like families).
  • Actionable outputs: Writes substituted CIF files plus JSON manifests containing substitution maps and probabilities for downstream relaxation and stability ranking.

Quick Start

Run the reverse search for a target composition using the provided script with your MP_API_KEY set, then inspect structure_manifest.json to see which precursor substitutions generate the target candidates.

Frequently Asked Questions about mat-ionic-substitution

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I predict charge-balanced ionic substitution candidates for a crystal structure?

Ionic substitution candidates are predicted by mining substitution probabilities trained on inorganic crystal data. The Skill applies forward substitution proposals from an existing ordered structure to generate charge-balanced variants.

Can I find known precursor structures in Materials Project that substitute into a target composition?

Yes, reverse structure discovery mode locates known precursor structures in Materials Project whose ionic substitutions produce a target composition. Querying requires setting your MP_API_KEY to find matching charge-balanced candidates.

What input format is required for ionic substitution structure search?

Ionic substitution structure search requires oxidation-state-decorated crystal structures as input. Providing ordered structures with explicit oxidation states ensures generated substitutions remain charge-balanced during prediction.

How do I configure probability thresholds for ion-substituted crystal candidates?

Probability thresholds filter ion-substituted crystal candidates by their mined substitution likelihoods. Configuring these thresholds limits outputs to high-probability structural variants suitable for downstream screening workflows.

What outputs does the ionic substitution prediction generate for MLIP relaxation?

Ionic substitution prediction generates substituted CIF files and JSON manifests containing substitution maps and probabilities. These outputs are structured for direct use in subsequent MLIP relaxation and E_hull evaluation workflows.