Effect of Pd on the superconductivity in non-centrosymmetric $$\hbox {Mo}₃\hbox {Al}_{2-{x}}\hbox {Pd}_x\hbox {C}$$ alloys, with x = 0.00, 0.05 and 0.10

We studied the effect of partial substitution of Al by Pd in the non-centrosymmetric superconducting intermetallic alloy (hbox {Mo}₃hbox {Al}₂hbox {C}). Magnetization, resistivity and specific heat measurements, as a function of temperature, were performed in the system (hbox {Mo}₃hbox {Al}_{2-{x}}hbox {Pd}_xhbox {C}) with x = 0.0, 0.05 and 0.10. The magnetic, electrical and thermal measurements show that the effect of substitution of Al by Pd is to lower the transition temperature to the superconducting state (T_c). Using the Werthamer–Helfand–Hohenberg theory, the temperature dependence of the upper critical field was analyzed. From specific heat measurements, parameters of the normal and superconductor state were estimated. The estimated values of Sommerfeld’s constant indicate that the presence of Pd in (hbox {Mo}₃hbox {Al}₂hbox {C}) affects the Fermi surface. Power laws in (C_e) indicate the existence of nodes or lines of nodes in the superconducting gap; this indicates that (hbox {Mo}₃hbox {Al}_{2-{x}}hbox {Pd}_xhbox {C}) is not a conventional superconductor.