Type 1 Superconductors

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Type 1 Superconductors
And a Periodic Chart Comparison
The Type 1 category of superconductors is mainly comprised of metals and metalloids that
show some conductivity at room temperature. They require incredible cold to slow down
molecular vibrations sufficiently to facilitate unimpeded electron flow in accordance with what
is known as BCS theory. BCS theory suggests that electrons team up in "Cooper pairs" in
order to help each other overcome molecular obstacles - much like race cars on a track
drafting each other in order to go faster. Scientists call this process phonon-mediated coupling
because of the sound packets generated by the flexing of the crystal lattice.
Type 1 superconductors - characterized as the "soft" superconductors - were discovered
first and require the coldest temperatures to become superconductive. They exhibit a very
sharp transition to a superconducting state (see above graph) and "perfect" diamagnetism the ability to repel a magnetic field completely. Below is a list of known Type 1
superconductors along with the critical transition temperature (known as Tc) below which
each superconducts. The 3rd column gives the lattice structure of the solid that produced the
noted Tc. Surprisingly, copper, silver and gold, three of the best metallic conductors, do not
rank among the superconductive elements. Why is this ?

Lead (Pb)
Lanthanum (La)
Tantalum (Ta)
Mercury (Hg)
Tin (Sn)
Indium (In)
Palladium (Pd)*
Chromium (Cr)*
Thallium (Tl)
Rhenium (Re)
Protactinium (Pa)
Thorium (Th)
Aluminum (Al)
Gallium (Ga)
Molybdenum (Mo)

7.196 K
4.88 K
4.47 K
4.15 K
3.72 K
3.41 K
3.3 K
3K
2.38 K
1.697 K
1.40 K
1.38 K
1.175 K
1.083 K
0.915 K

http://superconductors.org/type1.htm

FCC
HEX
BCC
RHL
TET
TET
(see note 1)
(see note 1)
HEX
HEX
TET
FCC
FCC
ORC
BCC

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Type 1 Superconductors

Zinc (Zn)
Osmium (Os)
Zirconium (Zr)
Americium (Am)
Cadmium (Cd)
Ruthenium (Ru)
Titanium (Ti)
Uranium (U)
Hafnium (Hf)
Iridium (Ir)
Beryllium (Be)
Tungsten (W)
Platinum (Pt)*
Lithium (Li)
Rhodium (Rh)

Page 2 of 3

0.85 K
0.66 K
0.61 K
0.60 K
0.517 K
0.49 K
0.40 K
0.20 K
0.128 K
0.1125 K
0.023 K (SRM 768)
0.0154 K
0.0019 K
0.0004 K
0.000325 K

HEX
HEX
HEX
HEX
HEX
HEX
HEX
ORC
HEX
FCC
HEX
BCC
(see note 1)
BCC
FCC

*Note 1: Tc's given are for bulk (alpha form), except for Palladium, which has been irradiated
with
He+ ions, Chromium as a thin film, and Platinum as a compacted powder.

Many additional elements can be coaxed into a superconductive state with the application of
high pressure. For example, phosphorus appears to be the Type 1 element with the highest Tc.
But, it requires compression pressures of 2.5 Mbar to reach a Tc of 14-22 K. The above list is
for elements at normal (ambient) atmospheric pressure. See the periodic table below for all
known elemental superconductors (including Niobium, Technetium and Vanadium which are
technically Type 2).

**Note 2: Normally bulk carbon (amorphous, diamond, graphite, white) will not superconduct at
any temperature. However, a Tc of 15K has been reported for elemental carbon when the atoms
are configured as highly-aligned, single-walled nanotubes. And non-aligned, multi-walled
nanotubes have shown superconductivity near 12K. Since the penetration depth is much larger
than the coherence length, nanotubes would be characterized as "Type 2" superconductors.

http://superconductors.org/type1.htm

12.03.2008

Type 1 Superconductors

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***Note 3: For a list of elements that are naturally diamagnetic, click HERE.

Author's Comment: The information posted on this page was obtained from a variety of
sources including, but not limited to, the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, the
Technische Universitt Mnchen, Reade Metals and Minerals Corp., industry news sources,
and various private researchers. A special thanks to Professor Bertil Sundqvist, Department of
Experimental Physics, Umea University, Sweden, also to Dr. Jeffery Tallon, Industrial
Research Ltd., New Zealand, and to Dr. James S. Schilling, Department of Physics,
Washington University.
[Last page rev: May. 2007]

http://superconductors.org/type1.htm

12.03.2008