Searching for ductile superconducting Heusler X2YZ compounds

Abstract

Abstract Heusler compounds attract a great deal of attention from researchers thanks to a wealth of interesting properties, among which is superconductivity. Here we perform an extensive study of the superconducting and elastic properties of the cubic (full-)Heusler family using a mixture of ab initio methods, as well as interpretable and predictive machine-learning models. By analyzing the statistical distributions of these properties and comparing them to anti-perovskites, we recognize universal behaviors that should be common to all conventional superconductors while others turn out to be specific to the material family. In total, we discover a total of eight hypothetical materials with critical temperatures above 10 K to be compared with the current record of T c = 4.7 K in this family. Furthermore, we expect most of these materials to be highly ductile, making them potential candidates for the manufacture of wires and tapes for superconducting magnets.

Abstract of "Searching for ductile superconducting Heusler X2YZ compounds" by Noah Hoffmann, Tiago F. T. Cerqueira, Pedro Borlido et al., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-023-01084-7, used under its Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY); markup removed, otherwise unmodified.