title: Superconductivity in transition metals.
abstract: A qualitative account of the occurrence and magnitude of superconductivity in the transition metals is presented, with a primary emphasis on elements of the first row. Correlations of the important parameters of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity are highlighted with respect to the number of d-shell electrons per atom of the transition elements. The relation between the systematics of superconductivity in the transition metals and the periodic table high-lights the importance of short-range or chemical bonding on the remarkable natural phenomenon of superconductivity in the chemical elements. A relationship between superconductivity and lattice instability appears naturally as a balance and competition between localized covalent bonding and so-called broken covalency, which favours d-electron delocalization and superconductivity. In this manner, the systematics of superconductivity and various other physical properties of the transition elements are related and unified.
authors: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
authors: Daniel R
authors: DR
authors: Slocombe
authors: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
authors: Vladimir L
authors: VL
authors: Kuznetsov
authors: Centre for New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02089 Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Grochala
authors: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
authors: Robert J P
authors: RJ
authors: Williams
authors: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK peter.edwards@chem.ox.ac.uk.
authors: Peter P
authors: PP
authors: Edwards
keywords: elements; lattice instabilities; periodic table; superconductivity; transition metals