Superconductivity in the hexagonal-layered nanolaminates Ti2InC compound

The hexagonal-layered Ti2InC compound is a member of the large family of lamellar materials that crystallize in the hexagonal structure with space group P6(3)/mmc, which are isomorphs with the Cr2AlC compound, and known as H-phase. In this work the Ti2InC phase is investigated by X-ray diffraction, magnetization and resistivity measurements. Susceptibility and resistivity measurements display superconducting critical temperature close to 3.1 K. In spite of the great number of compounds which belong to this family, superconductivity has been reported only for four cases: Mo2GaC, Nb2SC, Nb2AsC and Nb2SnC. This work supports the existence of a new class of superconducting materials that crystallize in an H-phase. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.