Superconducting characteristics of 4-Å carbon nanotube-zeolite composite

Abstract

We have fabricated nanocomposites consisting of 4-A carbon nanotubes embedded in the 0.7-nm pores of aluminophosphate- five (AFI) zeolite that display a superconducting specific heat transition at 15 K. MicroRaman spectra of the samples show strong and spatially uniform radial breathing mode (RBM) signals at 510 cm-1 and 550 cm-1, characteristic of the (4,2) and (5,0) nanotubes, respectively. The specific heat transition is suppressed at >2T, with a temperature dependence characteristic of finite-size effects. Comparison with theory shows the behavior to be consistent with that of a type II BCS superconductor, characterized by a coherence length of 14 ± 2 nm and a magnetic penetration length of 1.5 ± 0.7 μm. Four probe and differential resistance measurements have also indicated a superconducting transition initiating at 15 K, but the magnetoresistance data indicate the superconducting network to be inhomogeneous, with a component being susceptible to magnetic fields below 3 T and other parts capable of withstanding a magnetic field of 5Tor beyond.