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Title: Sc–Zr–Nb–Rh–Pd and Sc–Zr–Nb–Ta–Rh–Pd High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors on a CsCl-Type Lattice

Abstract

We have synthesized previously unreported High-Entropy Alloys (HEAs) in the pentanary (ScZrNb)1-x[RhPd]x and hexanary (ScZrNbTa)1-x[RhPd]x systems. The materials have CsCl-type structures and mixed site occupancies. Both HEAs are type-II superconductors with strongly varying critical temperatures (Tcs) depending on the valence electron count (VEC); the Tcs increase monotonically with decreasing VEC within each series, and do not follow the trends seen for either crystalline or amorphous transition metal superconductors. The (ScZrNb)0.65[RhPd]0.35 HEA with the highest Tc, ~9.3 K, also exhibits the largest µ0Hc2(0) = 10.7 T. The pentanary and hexanary HEAs have higher superconducting transition tempera-tures than their simple binary intermetallic relatives with the CsCl-type structure and a surprisingly ductile mechanical behavior. The presence of niobium, even at the 20% level, has a positive impact on the Tc. Nevertheless, niobium-free (ScZr)0.50[RhPd]0.50, as mother-compound of both superconducting HEAs found here, is itself superconducting, proving that superconductivity is an intrinsic feature of the bulk material.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1]
  1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
  2. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Dept. of Physics
  3. Univ. of Zurich (Switzerland). Dept. of Chemistry
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1433996
Report Number(s):
BNL-203546-2018-JAAM
Journal ID: ISSN 0897-4756; TRN: US1802669
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0012704; GBMF-4412
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Chemistry of Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 30; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0897-4756
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY

Citation Formats

Stolze, Karoline, Tao, Jing, von Rohr, Fabian O., Kong, Tai, and Cava, Robert J. Sc–Zr–Nb–Rh–Pd and Sc–Zr–Nb–Ta–Rh–Pd High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors on a CsCl-Type Lattice. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04578.
Stolze, Karoline, Tao, Jing, von Rohr, Fabian O., Kong, Tai, & Cava, Robert J. Sc–Zr–Nb–Rh–Pd and Sc–Zr–Nb–Ta–Rh–Pd High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors on a CsCl-Type Lattice. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04578
Stolze, Karoline, Tao, Jing, von Rohr, Fabian O., Kong, Tai, and Cava, Robert J. Wed . "Sc–Zr–Nb–Rh–Pd and Sc–Zr–Nb–Ta–Rh–Pd High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors on a CsCl-Type Lattice". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04578. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1433996.
@article{osti_1433996,
title = {Sc–Zr–Nb–Rh–Pd and Sc–Zr–Nb–Ta–Rh–Pd High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors on a CsCl-Type Lattice},
author = {Stolze, Karoline and Tao, Jing and von Rohr, Fabian O. and Kong, Tai and Cava, Robert J.},
abstractNote = {We have synthesized previously unreported High-Entropy Alloys (HEAs) in the pentanary (ScZrNb)1-x[RhPd]x and hexanary (ScZrNbTa)1-x[RhPd]x systems. The materials have CsCl-type structures and mixed site occupancies. Both HEAs are type-II superconductors with strongly varying critical temperatures (Tcs) depending on the valence electron count (VEC); the Tcs increase monotonically with decreasing VEC within each series, and do not follow the trends seen for either crystalline or amorphous transition metal superconductors. The (ScZrNb)0.65[RhPd]0.35 HEA with the highest Tc, ~9.3 K, also exhibits the largest µ0Hc2(0) = 10.7 T. The pentanary and hexanary HEAs have higher superconducting transition tempera-tures than their simple binary intermetallic relatives with the CsCl-type structure and a surprisingly ductile mechanical behavior. The presence of niobium, even at the 20% level, has a positive impact on the Tc. Nevertheless, niobium-free (ScZr)0.50[RhPd]0.50, as mother-compound of both superconducting HEAs found here, is itself superconducting, proving that superconductivity is an intrinsic feature of the bulk material.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04578},
journal = {Chemistry of Materials},
number = 3,
volume = 30,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Wed Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}

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Cited by: 64 works
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Figures / Tables:

Table 1 Table 1: Transition metal element and binary alloy superconductors with the body-centered cubic structure, and superconducting binary intermetallic AB compounds with the CsCl-type cubic primitive structure, Tc ≥ 2 K.

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