2001/07/13 by M. I. Eremets, Viktor V. Struzhkin, Ho‐kwang Mao +1 · 4 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Boron and Carbon Nanomaterials Research #Superconductivity in MgB2 and Alloys
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1062286
openalex publication_date 2001/07/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Metals formed from light elements are predicted to exhibit intriguing states of electronic order. Of these materials, those containing boron are of considerable current interest because of their relatively high superconducting temperatures. We have investigated elemental boron to very high pressure using diamond anvil cell electrical conductivity techniques. We find that boron transforms from a nonmetal to a superconductor at about 160 gigapascals (GPa). The critical temperature of the transition increases from 6 kelvin (K) at 175 GPa to 11.2 K at 250 GPa, giving a positive pressure derivative of 0.05 K/GPa. Although the observed metallization pressure is compatible with the predictions of first-principles calculations, superconductivity in boron remains to be explored theoretically. The present results constitute a record pressure for both electrical conductivity studies and investigations of superconductivity in dense matter.