Observation of Superconductivity above 200 K in Pressure-Stabilized Cubic (Y,Ce)H10
Yongshuang Yang1, Chuanheng Ma1,2, Zefang Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Material Simulation Methods and Software of Ministry of Education, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|May 16, 2026
Summary
Researchers enhanced superconductivity in clathrate hydrides by doping with Yttrium (Y). The new (Y,Ce)H10 material reached a superconducting temperature of 206 K, significantly boosting performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid State Chemistry
Background:
- Clathrate hydrides are known for high-temperature superconductivity under high pressure.
- Enhancing superconducting temperature (Tc) via metal doping is a key research goal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To tailor the superconductivity of the Ce-H system by introducing Yttrium (Y).
- To investigate the effect of elemental substitution on the superconducting properties of clathrate hydrides.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a substituted face-centered cubic (Y,Ce)H10 phase.
- Investigated the structural and superconducting properties of the new phase.
Main Results:
- Achieved a maximum superconducting temperature (Tc) of 206 K in (Y,Ce)H10.
- Observed an approximately 80% enhancement in Tc compared to CeH10.
- Incorporated a YH10 structural motif, which is not achievable in the binary Y-H system.
Conclusions:
- Elemental substitution, specifically the introduction of Y, significantly enhances superconductivity in clathrate hydrides.
- The YH10 structural unit plays a crucial role in boosting superconducting temperatures.
- Elemental substitution is a viable strategy for discovering new hydride superconductors with higher Tc.
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