High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride

Despite persistent synthetic challenges in realizing borophene, transition metal diborides, characterized by honeycomb borophene substructure and weak interlayer coupling, are attracting growing interest as potentially viable alternatives. Herein, we synthesized a bulk CrB2 sample with a honeycomb b...

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Main Authors: Hao Jiang, Xingbin Zhao, Hao Zhang, Shuailing Ma, Tian Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2025-05-01
Series:AIP Advances
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0271239
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author Hao Jiang
Xingbin Zhao
Hao Zhang
Shuailing Ma
Tian Cui
author_facet Hao Jiang
Xingbin Zhao
Hao Zhang
Shuailing Ma
Tian Cui
author_sort Hao Jiang
collection DOAJ
description Despite persistent synthetic challenges in realizing borophene, transition metal diborides, characterized by honeycomb borophene substructure and weak interlayer coupling, are attracting growing interest as potentially viable alternatives. Herein, we synthesized a bulk CrB2 sample with a honeycomb boron substructure using high pressure and high temperature method. CrB2 yields an asymptotic hardness of 12.3 GPa and a fracture toughness of 3.62 MPa·m1/2. First-principles calculations, corroborated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reveal that the high hardness stems from strong covalent bonding and a rigid boron network, while the enhanced fracture toughness arises from mechanical anisotropy and the metallic character within the layers. Chromium atoms stabilize the honeycomb structure through electron transfer that fills the empty π-bands, a process predominantly mediated by strongly directional Cr-3d a1g orbitals. Furthermore, CrB2 displays typical antiferromagnetic behavior with a Néel temperature of 96 K. The presence of defect structures in the sample influences its magnetic behavior, leading to a transition from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic, and then to paramagnetic behavior with increasing temperature. This work provides a valuable platform for understanding the mechanisms by which metals stabilize honeycomb boron substructures, paving the way for future borophene materials synthesis.
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spelling doaj-art-ff60efab3bda440eb8539d05c88bbb542025-08-20T03:20:36ZengAIP Publishing LLCAIP Advances2158-32262025-05-01155055019055019-1010.1063/5.0271239High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diborideHao Jiang0Xingbin Zhao1Hao Zhang2Shuailing Ma3Tian Cui4Institute of High Pressure Physics, School of Physical Scientific and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of High Pressure Physics, School of Physical Scientific and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of High Pressure Physics, School of Physical Scientific and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of High Pressure Physics, School of Physical Scientific and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of High Pressure Physics, School of Physical Scientific and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, People’s Republic of ChinaDespite persistent synthetic challenges in realizing borophene, transition metal diborides, characterized by honeycomb borophene substructure and weak interlayer coupling, are attracting growing interest as potentially viable alternatives. Herein, we synthesized a bulk CrB2 sample with a honeycomb boron substructure using high pressure and high temperature method. CrB2 yields an asymptotic hardness of 12.3 GPa and a fracture toughness of 3.62 MPa·m1/2. First-principles calculations, corroborated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reveal that the high hardness stems from strong covalent bonding and a rigid boron network, while the enhanced fracture toughness arises from mechanical anisotropy and the metallic character within the layers. Chromium atoms stabilize the honeycomb structure through electron transfer that fills the empty π-bands, a process predominantly mediated by strongly directional Cr-3d a1g orbitals. Furthermore, CrB2 displays typical antiferromagnetic behavior with a Néel temperature of 96 K. The presence of defect structures in the sample influences its magnetic behavior, leading to a transition from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic, and then to paramagnetic behavior with increasing temperature. This work provides a valuable platform for understanding the mechanisms by which metals stabilize honeycomb boron substructures, paving the way for future borophene materials synthesis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0271239
spellingShingle Hao Jiang
Xingbin Zhao
Hao Zhang
Shuailing Ma
Tian Cui
High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
AIP Advances
title High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
title_full High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
title_fullStr High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
title_full_unstemmed High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
title_short High-pressure synthesis, mechanical properties, and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
title_sort high pressure synthesis mechanical properties and magnetic behavior of chromium diboride
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0271239
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AT xingbinzhao highpressuresynthesismechanicalpropertiesandmagneticbehaviorofchromiumdiboride
AT haozhang highpressuresynthesismechanicalpropertiesandmagneticbehaviorofchromiumdiboride
AT shuailingma highpressuresynthesismechanicalpropertiesandmagneticbehaviorofchromiumdiboride
AT tiancui highpressuresynthesismechanicalpropertiesandmagneticbehaviorofchromiumdiboride