Molybdenum-Ruthenium-Carbon Solid-Solution Alloy Nanoparticles: Can They Be Pseudo-Technetium Carbide?

Abstract

Technetium (Tc), atomic number 43, is an element that humans cannot freely use even in the 21st century because Tc is radioactive and has no stable isotope. In this report, we present molybdenum–ruthenium–carbon solid-solution alloy (Mo_xRu_{1-x}C_y) nanoparticles (NPs) that are expected to have an electronic structure similar to that of technetium carbide (TcC_y). Mo_xRu_{1-x}C_y NPs were synthesized by annealing under a helium/hydrogen atmosphere following thermal decomposition of metal precursors. The obtained NPs had a solid-solution structure in the whole composition range. Mo_xRu_{1-x}C_y with a cubic structure (down to 30 atom % Mo in the metal ratio) showed a superconducting state, and the transition temperature (Tc) increased with increasing Mo composition. The continuous change in Tc across that of TcC_y indicates the continuous control of the electronic structure by solid-solution alloying, leading to pseudo-TcC_y. Density functional theory calculations indicated that the synthesized Mo_{0.53}Ru_{0.47}C_{0.41} has a similar electronic structure to TcC_{0.41}.