Synthesis and Stoichiometry of MgB2
arXiv:cond-mat/0207161 · doi:10.1016/S0921-4534(02)01842-7
Abstract
The system MgxB2 has been investigated to investigate possible nonstoichiometry in MgB2. When synthesized at 850oC, MgB2 is a line compound with a possible Mg vacancy content of about 1%. Small changes in lattice constants as a function of starting composition result from grain interaction stresses, whose character is different in the Mg-rich, near-stoichiometric, and Mg-deficient regimes. A small linear decrease of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, in the Mg-rich regime results from accidental impurity doping.
Accepted for publication in Physica C. 24 pages, 7 figures