Pressure-induced superconductivity at 32 K in MoB₂

Discover the superconductivity up to 32 K in MoB2 under pressure and highlight roles of transitional metals in the high-Tc superconductors. Since the discovery of superconductivity in MgB2 (T-c similar to 39 K), the search for superconductivity in related materials with similar structures or ingredients has never stopped. Although about 100 binary borides have been explored, only a few of them show superconductivity with relatively low T-c. In this work, we report the discovery of superconductivity up to 32 K, which is the highest T-c in transition-metal borides, in MoB2 under pressure. The T-c of MoB2 in the alpha phase can be well explained by theoretical calculations in the framework of electron-phonon coupling. Furthermore, the coupling between the d electrons of Mo and the out-of-plane Mo-phonon modes are the main driving force of the 32 K superconductivity of MoB2. Our study sheds light on the exploration of high-T-c superconductors in transition metal borides.