The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect
The Nb<sub>3</sub>Al superconductor with excellent physical and working properties is one of the most promising materials in high-magnetic-field applications. However, it is difficult to prepare high-quality Nb<sub>3</sub>Al with a desired superconducting transition temperatu...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/18/6455 |
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| author | Chengkai Luan Xiyue Cheng Xiuping Gao Jürgen Köhler Shuiquan Deng |
| author_facet | Chengkai Luan Xiyue Cheng Xiuping Gao Jürgen Köhler Shuiquan Deng |
| author_sort | Chengkai Luan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Nb<sub>3</sub>Al superconductor with excellent physical and working properties is one of the most promising materials in high-magnetic-field applications. However, it is difficult to prepare high-quality Nb<sub>3</sub>Al with a desired superconducting transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>c</sub>) because of its narrow phase formation area at high temperatures (>1940 °C). This work reports a method to prepare stoichiometric Nb<sub>3</sub>Al powder samples at a relatively low temperature (1400 °C) by exploiting the nano effect of Nb particles with pretreatment of Nb powder under H<sub>2</sub>/Ar atmosphere. The obtained Nb<sub>3</sub>Al samples exhibit high <i>T</i><sub>c</sub>’s of ~16.8K. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and statistical mechanics analysis, the crucial role of quantum effect in leading to the success of the preparation method was studied. A new measure of surface energy (MSE) of a model particle is introduced to study its size and face dependence. A rapid convergence of the MSE with respect to the size indicates a quick approach to the solid limit, while the face dependence of MSE reveals a liquid-like behavior. The surface effect and quantum fluctuation of the Nb<sub>n</sub> clusters explain the success of the preparation method. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:25:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-627c69eaee124fa5a2372126b2344b3d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:25:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-627c69eaee124fa5a2372126b2344b3d2023-11-19T12:07:37ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492023-09-012818645510.3390/molecules28186455The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano EffectChengkai Luan0Xiyue Cheng1Xiuping Gao2Jürgen Köhler3Shuiquan Deng4Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou 350108, ChinaFujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou 350108, ChinaFujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou 350108, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaFujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou 350108, ChinaThe Nb<sub>3</sub>Al superconductor with excellent physical and working properties is one of the most promising materials in high-magnetic-field applications. However, it is difficult to prepare high-quality Nb<sub>3</sub>Al with a desired superconducting transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>c</sub>) because of its narrow phase formation area at high temperatures (>1940 °C). This work reports a method to prepare stoichiometric Nb<sub>3</sub>Al powder samples at a relatively low temperature (1400 °C) by exploiting the nano effect of Nb particles with pretreatment of Nb powder under H<sub>2</sub>/Ar atmosphere. The obtained Nb<sub>3</sub>Al samples exhibit high <i>T</i><sub>c</sub>’s of ~16.8K. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and statistical mechanics analysis, the crucial role of quantum effect in leading to the success of the preparation method was studied. A new measure of surface energy (MSE) of a model particle is introduced to study its size and face dependence. A rapid convergence of the MSE with respect to the size indicates a quick approach to the solid limit, while the face dependence of MSE reveals a liquid-like behavior. The surface effect and quantum fluctuation of the Nb<sub>n</sub> clusters explain the success of the preparation method.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/18/6455Nb<sub>3</sub>Alsurface energynano effectfirst principle |
| spellingShingle | Chengkai Luan Xiyue Cheng Xiuping Gao Jürgen Köhler Shuiquan Deng The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect Molecules Nb<sub>3</sub>Al surface energy nano effect first principle |
| title | The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect |
| title_full | The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect |
| title_fullStr | The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect |
| title_short | The Preparation of a Challenging Superconductor Nb<sub>3</sub>Al by Exploiting Nano Effect |
| title_sort | preparation of a challenging superconductor nb sub 3 sub al by exploiting nano effect |
| topic | Nb<sub>3</sub>Al surface energy nano effect first principle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/18/6455 |
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