Superconductivity in CuAl2-type Co0.2Ni0.1Cu0.1Rh0.3Ir0.3Zr2 with a high-entropy-alloy transition metal site

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a new high-entropy-alloy superconductor with a transition temperature of 8.0 K, expanding the understanding of HEA superconductors and their relationship with mixing entropy.

Contribution

It introduces a novel CuAl2-type HEA superconductor with a transition metal site, demonstrating superconductivity at 8.0 K and providing insights into HEA superconductivity mechanisms.

Findings

Superconductivity observed at 8.0 K

Bulk superconductivity confirmed via specific heat

New pathway for exploring HEA-type superconductors

Abstract

Research on high-entropy-alloy (HEA) superconductors is a growing field in material science. In this study, we explored new HEA-type superconductors and discovered a CuAl2-type superconductor Co0.2Ni0.1Cu0.1Rh0.3Ir0.3Zr2 with a HEA-type transition metal site. A superconducting transition was observed at 8.0 K after electrical resistivity, magnetization, and specific heat measurements. The bulk characteristics of the superconductivity were confirmed through the specific heat measurements. The discovery of superconductivity in HEA-type Co0.2Ni0.1Cu0.1Rh0.3Ir0.3Zr2 will provide a novel pathway to explore new HEA-type superconductors and investigate the relationship between the mixing entropy and superconductivity of HEA-type compounds.