Searching for New Palladium-Based Superconductors Using Van der Waals Nanoreactors

Abstract

This thesis explores new and interesting palladium-based materials using a recently-developed method of chemical reactions between two-dimensional van der Waals materials (termed van der Waals nanoreactors) to search for new palladium-based superconductors. Deposited palladium source and various other two-dimensional materials were stacked and prepared for chemical reactions under boron nitride encapsulation with the intention to find a new crystal of the form La-Pd-O. We find that these van der Waals chemical reactions are successful at growing new crystals that are partially composed of palladium and oxygen, but full elemental analysis and transport tests were inconclusive. This thesis reviews the relevant experimental procedures of fabrication and testing, and discusses the details of resultant crystal growths and measurements.