Iron tetraboride (FeB
4) is a
superhard
A superhard material is a material with a hardness value exceeding 40 gigapascals (GPa) when measured by the Vickers hardness test. They are virtually incompressible solids with high electron density and high bond covalency. As a result of their u ...
superconductor (
Tc < 3
K) consisting of
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
and
boron
Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5. In its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark, lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown powder. As the lightest element of the ''boron group'' it has th ...
. Iron tetraboride does not occur in nature and can be created synthetically. Its molecular structure was predicted using computer models.
See also
*
Binghamton University
The State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University or SUNY Binghamton) is a public university, public research university with campuses in Binghamton, New York, Binghamton, Vestal, New York, Vestal, and Johnson City, New Yor ...
*
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
References
*
*
External links
First fully computer-designed superconductorViewpoint: Materials Prediction Scores a Hit
Borides
Iron compounds
Superconductors
Superhard materials
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