High-hardness superconductor with enabled by boron layers
Phys. Rev. B 113, 094505 – Published 10 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5jrm-h7k5
Abstract
Metal borides such as distinguish themselves from cuprate, iron-based, and hydride superconductors by integrating structural stability, high hardness, and simple stoichiometry, making them exceptionally suited for practical applications. Here, we predict two hard superconducting phases of (/mmm and ) that are dynamically stable at ambient pressure. Sharing a characteristic three-boron-layer sandwich structure, these phases nevertheless exhibit strikingly distinct superconducting behaviors. The /mmm phase achieves a high of 34 K, the highest among transition metal borides, which is enabled by strong electron-phonon coupling from synergistic flat bands and high-frequency boron phonons. In contrast, the phase exhibits a much lower of 5.8 K due to the absence of such electronic features. Notably, both phases also possess high Vickers hardness values of 33.6 and 39.8 GPa, respectively. Our results not only identify as a promising platform for hard superconductors but also provide a design strategy toward multifunctional materials for high-field magnet and fusion energy technologies.