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)

7.196 K

FCC

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)
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)

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
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
BCC
RHL
TET
TET
(see note 1)
(see note 1)
HEX
HEX
TET
FCC
FCC
ORC
BCC
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.
***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]