Pressure-induced superconductivity at 32 K in MoB(2)

Since the discovery of superconductivity in MgB(2) (T(c) ∼ 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 MoB(2) under pressure. The T(c) of MoB(2) in the α 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 MoB(2). Our study sheds light on the exploration of high-T(c) superconductors in transition metal borides.