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Title: High-temperature superconductivity in alkaline and rare earth polyhydrides at high pressure: A theoretical perspective

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5079225· OSTI ID:1545801

The theoretical exploration of the phase diagrams of binary hydrides under pressure using ab initio crystal structure prediction techniques coupled with first principles calculations has led to the in silico discovery of numerous novel superconducting materials. This Perspective focuses on the alkaline earth and rare earth polyhydrides whose superconducting critical temperature, Tc, was predicted to be above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. After providing a brief overview of the computational protocol used to predict the structures of stable and metastable hydrides under pressure, we outline the equations that can be employed to estimate Tc. The systems with a high Tc can be classified according to the motifs found in their hydrogenic lattices. Here, the highest Tcs are found for cages that are reminiscent of clathrates and the lowest for systems that contain atomic and molecular hydrogen. A wide variety of hydrogenic motifs including 1- and 2-dimensional lattices, as well as Hδ–10 molecular units comprising fused Hδ–5 pentagons, are present in phases with intermediate Tcs. Some of these phases are predicted to be superconducting at room temperature. Some may have recently been synthesized in diamond anvil cells.

Research Organization:
State Univ. of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Programs (DP)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003858
OSTI ID:
1545801
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 150, Issue 5; ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 100 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Hydrogen Pentagraphenelike Structure Stabilized by Hafnium: A High-Temperature Conventional Superconductor journal November 2020
High-TC Superconductivity in Hydrogen Clathrates Mediated by Coulomb Interactions Between Hydrogen and Central-Atom Electrons journal June 2020
Predicting novel superconducting hydrides using machine learning approaches text January 2020
Computational Design of Novel Hydrogen-Rich YS–H Compounds journal August 2019
Fermi-Bose Mixtures and BCS-BEC Crossover in High-Tc Superconductors journal June 2019
Pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of compressed LaH 10 journal August 2019
First-principles study of crystal structures and superconductivity of ternary YSH 6 and LaSH 6 at high pressures journal November 2019
Nonstandard superconductivity or no superconductivity in hydrides under high pressure text January 2020
Phase diagrams and electronic properties of B-S and H-B-S systems under high pressure journal October 2019
Superconductivity to 262 kelvin via catalyzed hydrogenation of yttrium at high pressures text January 2020

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