Sign change in c-axis thermal expansion and lattice collapse by Ni substitution in Co1-xNixZr2 superconductors

Abstract: We investigated the structural, electronic, and superconducting properties of Co1-xNixZr2, in which c-axis thermal expansion is systematically controlled. At x (smaller than) 0.3, c-axis negative thermal expansion (NTE) was observed, and the thermal expansion constant {\alpha}c approached zero with increasing x. At x = 0.4-0.6, zero thermal expansion was observed, and positive thermal expansion (PTE) appeared for x (greater than) 0.7. By analyzing the c/a ratio, we observed a possible collapsed transition in the tetragonal lattice at around x = 0.6-0.8. The lattice collapse results in c-axis PTE and the suppression of bulk superconductivity.