Volume 110, Issue 11 pp. 2088-2093

Resonating valence-bond mechanism for the superconductivity in K3C60

Cristiano C. Bastos

Cristiano C. Bastos

Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50.740-540, PE, Brazil

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Marconi B. S. Costa

Marconi B. S. Costa

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50.670-901, PE, Brazil

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Antonio C. Pavão

Corresponding Author

Antonio C. Pavão

Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50.740-540, PE, Brazil

Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50.740-540, PE, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author
First published: 10 May 2010
Citations: 1

Abstract

Density functional theory calculations in different cluster models, the largest one K38(C60)23 with 1,418 atoms, combined with the resonating valence-bond theory show that superconductivity in K3C60 involves interaction of C60 with K+, K0, and K in octahedral interstices as well as immobilization of negative charges on positive tetrahedral K atoms. We found that the orbitals involved in the highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap are mainly from C60 and octahedral potassium atoms. We suggest that a K3C60 superconductor improvement can be achieved through potassium atom vacancy in octahedral sites. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010

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