Transport and scattering of confined electrons in electrides

Electrides are ionic solids in which electrons act as the anions by partially detaching from their host atoms and occupying empty regions in the crystal structure. These loosely-bound confined electrons are responsible for many of the unique and remarkable physical characteristics of electrides. In particular, since the anionic electrons are physically separated from the cationic lattice, they should exhibit exceptionally weak electron–phonon coupling and scattering, making them promising candidates as some of the most conductive materials. In this article, we review the efforts focused on exploring the electron–phonon scattering and electron transport characteristics of electrides, highlight their potential applications, and discuss opportunities for future research.