Superconductivity in Li{sub 3}Ca{sub 2}C{sub 6} intercalated graphite

Journal Article · Sat Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2006.01.053· OSTI ID:20784986

Emery, Nicolas ^[1]; Herold, Claire ^[1]; Mareche, Jean-Francois ^[1]; Bellouard, Christine ^[2]; Loupias, Genevieve ^[3]; Lagrange, Philippe ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire de Chimie du Solide Mineral (UMR CNRS 7555), Universite Henri Poincare Nancy I, B.P. 239, 54506-Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex (France)
2. Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux (UMR CNRS 7556), Universite Henri Poincare Nancy I, B.P. 239, 54506-Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex (France)
3. Institut de Mineralogie et de Physique des Milieux Condenses (UMR CNRS 7590), Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), case 115, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France)

In this paper, we report the discovery of superconductivity in Li{sub 3}Ca{sub 2}C{sub 6}. Several graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) with electron donors, are well known as superconductors [T. Enoki, S. Masatsugu, E. Morinobu, Graphite Intercalation Compounds and Applications, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2003]. It is probably not astonishing, since it is generally admitted that low dimensionality promotes high superconducting transition temperatures. Superconductivity is lacking in pristine graphite, but after charging the graphene planes by intercalation, its electronic properties change considerably and superconducting behaviour can appear. Li{sub 3}Ca{sub 2}C{sub 6} is a ternary GIC [S. Pruvost, C. Herold, A. Herold, P. Lagrange, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 8 (2004) 1661-1667], for which the intercalated sheets are very thick and poly layered (five lithium layers and two calcium ones). It contains a great amount of metal (five metallic atoms for six carbon ones). Its critical temperature of 11.15 K is very close to that of CaC{sub 6} GIC [T.E. Weller, M. Ellerby, S.S. Saxena, R.P. Smith, N.T. Skipper, Nat. Phys. 1 (2005) 39-41; N. Emery, C. Herold, M. d'Astuto, V. Garcia, Ch. Bellin, J.F. Mareche, P. Lagrange, G. Loupias, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 (2005) 087003] (11.5 K). Both CaC{sub 6} and Li{sub 3}Ca{sub 2}C{sub 6} GICs possess currently the highest transition temperatures among all the GICs.

• OSTI ID: 20784986
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 179, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2006.01.053; PII: S0022-4596(06)00080-6; Copyright (c) 2006 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BINDING ENERGY
CALCIUM CARBIDES
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
GRAPHITE
LAYERS
LITHIUM CARBIDES
MAGNETIZATION
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS