A groundbreaking discovery by researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University has unveiled a new superconducting material with the potential to revolutionize the field. The team, led by Associate Professor Yoshikazu Mizuguchi, developed a novel transition metal zirconide by combining iron, nickel, and zirconium in varying ratios, creating an alloy that exhibits unconventional superconductivity.
While neither iron zirconide nor nickel zirconide alone is superconducting, the new alloy demonstrates a unique “dome-shaped” phase diagram typical of unconventional superconductors. These materials hold significant promise for developing high-temperature superconductors, a critical advancement for expanding their practical applications in society.
Superconductors, known for their ability to conduct electricity without resistance, are key to medical imaging devices, maglev transportation, and efficient power transmission.
However, most current superconductors require cooling to around four Kelvin (-269°C) using expensive liquid helium, which limits their widespread use. Materials capable of superconducting at higher temperatures, such as the 77 Kelvin (-196°C) threshold where liquid nitrogen can be used, would drastically reduce costs and enable broader adoption.
Since the discovery of iron-based superconductors in 2008, researchers have increasingly focused on unconventional superconductors, which appear to follow mechanisms distinct from those described by traditional BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer) theory. Magnetic elements and “magnetic ordering” have emerged as key factors in fostering this type of superconductivity.
The Tokyo Metropolitan University team’s research began as an undergraduate project. They utilized arc melting to combine iron, nickel, and zirconium into a polycrystalline alloy. They confirmed that the resulting material shared the tetragonal crystal structure of known transition-metal zirconias, a promising class of superconducting materials.
Their experiments revealed a dome-like phase diagram, where the superconducting transition temperature rose and fell with varying ratios of iron to nickel. This hallmark feature suggests that the new alloy may exhibit unconventional superconductivity linked to magnetic properties within the material. Further analysis highlighted a magnetic-transition-like anomaly in nickel zirconite’s magnetization, strengthening the connection between magnetic ordering and superconductivity.
The discovery opens a new platform for studying the mechanisms of unconventional superconductivity and designing cutting-edge materials.
“Our findings could pave the way for practical advances in superconducting technology, particularly in high-temperature applications,” said Associate Professor Mizuguchi.
As the demand for efficient energy solutions and advanced technologies grows, this new material could mark a significant step toward the next generation of superconducting devices, bringing society closer to realizing the full potential of this transformative technology.
Journal Reference:
- Ryunosuke Shimada, Yuto Watanabe et al. Superconducting properties and electronic structure of CuAl2-type transition-metal zirconide Fe1-xNixZr2. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.177442
Source: Tech Explorist