Self-molybdenum intercalation: stabilization of metastable pseudo-binary Chevrel phases in Mo6Se8–Mo6S8 system

Three different types of pseudo-binary Mo6Se8−xSx Chevrel phases series have been reported in the literature. Confusion among them has existed, although two of them are metastable series. We present a new study of these series, based on their structural differences found mainly through single crystal investigations, and compare one of their more interesting physical properties, the superconducting critical temperature. This allows us to provide for the first time a complete understanding of the metastability and stabilization mechanisms through self-molybdenum intercalation into pseudo-binary Chevrel phases and to access new metastable Chevrel phases by soft chemistry.