Emerging Electride Behavior and Metallization in Molecular Hydrogen under High Pressure.

Authors

Austin Ellis, Samantha Ellis, Abhiyan Pandit, Maosheng Miao

Published in

The journal of physical chemistry letters. Jul 08, 2026. Epub Jul 08, 2026.

Abstract

We demonstrate that the metallization of molecular hydrogen under pressure is accompanied by the emergence of an electride-like behavior, characterized by the localization of electrons in interstitial regions among H₂ molecules. This mechanism distinguishes H₂ from other molecular crystals, where metal-insulator transitions are typically driven by bond rearrangements. The presence of interstitial electrons may significantly influence the electron-phonon coupling and, consequently, the superconducting properties of molecular hydrogen. Importantly, these features persist in metal superhydrides stabilized at moderate pressures, where molecular units are retained. As a result, electride-like electronic states are an important factor in these compounds, which are among the most promising candidates for achieving high-T_c superconductivity under moderate pressures.

PMID:
42417081
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Jul 2026.

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