Intercalation based synthesis of Chevrel phase superconductors

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2024-07, Vol.59 (26), p.11880-11892
• Main Authors: Gilmore, Tessa, Rochester, Jacob, Sumption, Michael, Gouma, Pelagia-Irene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Critical temperature; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Electronic Materials; Energy; Energy costs; Heat treating; Intercalation; Low temperature; Magnetic properties; Materials Science; Microscopy; Molybdenum; Phase transitions; Polymer Sciences; Self propagating high temperature synthesis; Solid Mechanics; Stoichiometry; Superconductivity; Superconductors; Temperature
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-024-09910-z

This work focuses on the superconducting and magnetic properties of Chevrel phase (CP) compounds (Cu 2 Mo 6 S 8 and Ni 2 Mo 6 S 8 ) processed via a novel self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method involving ternary cation intercalation in MoS 2 high-temperature polymorphs. Green pellets of the precursor materials sealed under vacuum and exposed to 1050 °C or 1200 °C rapidly transformed from a powder mixture into submicron CPs within minutes. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of Cu 2 Mo 6 S 8 CP (67%), and Ni 2 Mo 6 S 8 (93%). This group has illustrated the first time CP were formed at low energy cost and full stoichiometry. Magnetization versus temperature data obtained for the samples under different field conditions confirmed the superconducting behavior of the Cu–CP at a critical temperature of 8.3 K. The Ni–CP behaved as a superparamagnetic at low temperature (4.2 K). The results of this work suggest that the novel SHS process offers a viable scalable synthesis route for the Chevrel family of compounds and that it is worth exploring the functional applications of the new compounds of this material system.