Electroplating of the superconductive boride MgB from molten salts

Abe, Hideki*; Yoshii, Kenji  ; Nishida, Kenji*; Imai, Motoharu*; Kitazawa, Hideaki*

An electroplating technique of the superconductive boride MgB onto graphite substrates is reported. Films of MgB with a thickness of tens micrometer were fabricated on the planar and curved surfaces of graphite substrates by means of electrolysis on a mixture of magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and magnesium borate fused at high temperatures in an Ar atmosphere. The electrical resistivity and magnetization measurements revealed that the electroplated MgB films undergo a superconducting transition with the critical temperature of 36 K.