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Conventional superconductor

Conventional superconductors are materials that display superconductivity as described by BCS theory or its extensions.

Critical temperatures of some simple metals:
ElementTc (K)
Al1.20
Hg4.15
Mo0.92
Nb9.26
Pb7.19
Ta4.48
Ti0.39
V5.30
Zn0.88

Niobium and vanadium are type-II superconductors, while most other superconducting elements are type-I materials. Almost all compound and alloy superconductors are type-II materials.

The most commonly used conventional superconductor in applications is a niobium-titanium alloy - this is a type-II superconductor with a Tc of 11 K. The highest critical temperature so far achieved in a conventional superconductor was 39 K (-234 °C) in magnesium diboride.