Melt Processing of YBa2Cu3O7-x

Sintering YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} bulk forms at 1050°C followed by annealing at 980°C causes the development of a thick oriented surface layer (Lotgering factor = 0.7). The thickness of the layer depends on the thermal treatment, which is a two-step sintering process. Firing at 1050°C for 2.5 h followed by 30 h at 980°C leads to the development of a 0.1-mm-thick surface layer, with clear indication that longer annealing would result in a thicker film. Some orientation develops during un-axial compaction of the powders. Lotgering orientation factor calculation from X-ray diffraction analysis. SEM, and TEM were used to characterize the microstructure of these samples. T _c was similar to that of conventionally processed high-density samples, between 83 and 87 K. Some thermal treatments resulted in samples that displayed high resistivity above T _c , possibly caused by segregation of Cu to the grain boundaries.     

Hot Isostatic Pressing of YBa2Cu3O7-x

Hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) with an oxygen donor was studied as a method for processing bulk superconductors. Superconducting powder was derived from the calcination of nitrated Y₂O₃, CuO, and BaCO₃ powder. The powder was HIPed using pressures of 69, 138, and 207 MPa at 820°C. BaO₂ was used as an oxygen donor during HIPing. The density, hardness, and Young's modulus of HIPed samples were higher than those of sintered control samples. Superconducting transition temperatures > 92 K were achieved without post-HIP annealing of the samples in oxygen.     

Stability of YBa2Cu3O7-x in Molten Chloride Salts

The decomposition products of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x depend on the composition of the molten chloride salt for exposure at 1173 K in air. The presence of dichloride salts such as CuCl₂, CaCl₂, or MgCl₂ promote formation of CuO, Cu₂Y₂O₅, and loss of barium to the chloride salt as BaCl₂. Salts based on BaCl₂ or containing LiCl result in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x decomposition products of Y₂BaCuO₅, CuO, and BaCl₂. High barium activity in the salt supports formation of the Y₂BaCuO₅ phase and reaction of CO₂ with the salt producing BaCO₃. Decomposition is most sluggish in binary NaCl-KCl salts where minimal amounts of reaction or decomposition products are observed.     

Alignment of YBa2Cu3O7-x and Ag─YBa2Cu3O7-x Composites at ∼930°C by Eutectic Formation

The present work describes a new technique to synthesize aligned YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} and Ag─YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} superconducting composites from Ba- and Cu-deficient compositions (relative to YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} ) plus BaCuO₂. For YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} , high transition temperature midpoint T_c (91 K), temperature of zero resistivity T ₀ (90 K), and critical current density J_c (>3000 A°Cm⁻² at 77 K) were achieved by using this technique. This procedure provides the potential for using a reliable and reproducible densification and alignment technique alternative to partial or full melting. The composite is highly aligned, with an average grain size of ∼1 to 2 mm and domains of width greater than 5 mm. The initial phase assemblage consists of YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- x} (123) as the major phase plus YBa₂CuO₅ (211) CuO as minor phases. The BaCuO₂ is added to the Ba- and Cu-deficient starting composition in order to assist in the formation of a CuO-rich liquid as well as to compensate for the Ba and Cu deficiences in 123. Since the liquid forms at ∼900°C and is compatible with 123, it can be used to facilitate alignment of 123 at ∼930°C. The addition of Ag to the system results in eutectic formation with the (solidified) liquid, substantial filling of the pores during sintering, and improved alignment.     

Hot Deformation of YBa2Cu3O7-δ and Composite YBa2Cu3O7-δ/Ag

The response of ceramic superconductors and ceramic composites to compressive stresses at high temperatures has been examined. Monolithic YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ and composite YBa₂Cu₃O₇-δ₆/Ag were tested at constant true strain rates from 10^-6 to 10^-3 s^-1 at temperatures from 800° to 950°C. Fine-grained monolithic YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ appears to have a regime of superplastic deformation between temperatures of 850° and 950°C at strain rates from 10^-6 to 10^-4 S^-1. The addition of 20 vol% Ag to a coarser-grained material enhances the ductility of the ceramic and lowers the flow stress by a factor of 3 to 10. However, there is no evidence of superplasticity in the composite material in the range of temperature and strain rate where it was tested.     

Identification of Intergranular Cu2O in Polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7-x Superconductors

The presence of intergranular Cu₂O has been identified in polycrystalline YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x superconducting samples (T_c∼90 K) which are prepared by dry-powder processing techniques. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to determine the crystal structure of the phase while energy-dispersive analysis provided the composition. The intergranular Cu₂O, as indicated by XRD and shown by optical microscopy, is concentrated around pores and extends back along grain boundaries adjacent to these pores. Analysis performed on samples sintered in a furnace atmosphere at 950°C, with and without a post-oxygen anneal at 450°C, gave similar results.     

Atomistic Study of Polarons in YBa2Cu3O7

Simulation techniques are applied to the orthorhombic YBa₂Cu₃O₇ crystal in order to describe possible polaron and bipolaron species in the crystal. Perfect crystal properties are fitted well with a two- and three-body potential model. The O⁻ polaron state is significantly stabilized by the presence of holes in the CuO plane. A bipolaron O²⁻₂ is slightly stable on the O₄ and O₂ or O₃ lattice ion sites of oxygen. The oxidation reaction leading to O⁻ and involving Cu⁺ and oxygen vacancies is exothermic.     

Simultaneous Thermogravimetry and Evolved-Gas Analysis of YBa2Cu3O7 and LaBa2Cu3O7 Superconductors

Concurrent thermogravimetry (TG) and evolved-gas analysis (EGA) were done for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-z and LaBa₂Cu₃-O_7-z superconductors. The sample weights were monitored by thermobalance and the evolved O₂ and CO₂ species were monitored by quadruple mass spectrometer (QMS). No diffraction peak for the impurity phase containing a carbonate group was observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns for these samples, but the release of CO₂ was detected by EGA. CO₂ gas began to evolve from YBa₂Cu₃O_7-z at 543°C and from LaBa₂Cu₃O_7-z at 692°C. Preparation of high-quality YBa₂Cu₃O_7-z and LaBa₂Cu₃O_7-z superconductors is discussed on the basis of results of these thermal analyses.     

The Use of Nitrogen Dioxide to Improve the Superconducting Properties of YBa2Cu3O7

The elemental homogeneity of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ powders can be improved substantially by heating the powder in a nitrogen dioxide-containing atmosphere (e.g., 950°C), followed by annealing in oxygen above 750°C, and slow cooling to room temperature. The improved homogeneity results in a substantially larger flux exclusion signal for the NO₂-treated powder, as measured by ac susceptibility. Moreover, the NO₂-processed powder exhibits a slablike morphology which should be more suitable for grain alignment. A substantial advantage of the NO₂ process is that this process is easily scaled to larger batches and the results are highly reproducible. This is not the case for solid-state reaction processes requiring repeated heating and grinding. The experimental results suggest a mechanism which involves the formation of a small amount of molten Ba(NO₃)₂ which acts as a flux that dissolves the constituents and reprecipitates them as highpurity YBa₂Cu₃O₇. The effects of the various process variables on the properties of the treated powder, and the reproducibility of the process, are discussed.     

Hot Isostatic Pressing of YBa2Cu3O7-δ and YBa2Cu3O7–δ/Ag Composites

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) can be used to produce fully dense shapes of high-temperature ceramic superconductors. Densification modeling of monolithic YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ and the composite YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ/Ag systems allows an understanding of the HIP process and has led to the development of successful protocols for HIP of these materials. Ag metal is the best encapsulation material found for both systems. HIP of monolithic YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ requires a slow ramp of pressure in order to prevent decomposition into more basic oxides such as Y₂BaCuO₅ and CuO. HIP of composite YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ/Ag requires careful powder processing to obtain dense material with a fine dispersion of Ag.     

Defect Equilibria and Transport in YBa2Cu3O7-x at Elevated Temperatures: II, Nonstoichiometry

Aspects of nonstoichiometry for the Y-Ba-Cu (1: 2: 3) system are considered. The general formula YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x has been assumed for considerations of nonstoichiometry in 1: 2:3 oxide cuprates. Assuming that copper ions may occupy different lattice positions (independently of their valency), the equilibrium constants for oxygen intercalation were determined:     

Superplastic Deformation in Fine-Grained YBa2Cu3O7−x

The superplastic behavior of YBa₂Cu₃O_{7− x} ceramic superconductors was studied. Large compressive deformation over 100% strain was measured in the temperature range of 775°–875°C, with a strain rate of 1 × 10⁻⁵ to 1 × 10⁻³/s, and a grain size of 0.5–1.4 μm. The nature of the deformation was investigated in terms of three deformation parameters: the stress exponent ( n ), the grain size exponent ( p ), and the activation energy ( Q ). The measured values of these parameters were n = 2 ± 0.3, p = 2.7 ± 0.7, and Q = 745 ± 100 kJ/mol. With the aid of the deformation map, the deformation mechanism was identified as grain boundary sliding accommodated by grain boundary diffusion. The conclusion is consistent with the microstructural observations made by SEM and TEM: the invariance of equiaxed grain shape, the absence of significant dislocation activity, no grain boundary second phases, and no significant texture development.     

Formation of Grain-Boundary Carbon-Containing Phase During Annealing of YBa2Cu3O6+x

In situ annealing studies of YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x performed in an optical hot stage revealed that, at temperatures ∧450°, localized melting occurred. On subsequent cooling, a discrete second phase was observed at the YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x grain boundaries. Quantitative chemical analysis using X-ray wavelength dispersive spectroscopy indicated that the second phase was composed of a barium oxycarbonate. The source of the carbon in the second phase was identified to be CO₂ in the atmosphere.     

High-Temperature Microwave Complex Permittivity of YBa2Cu3O7-δ Superconductors

The high-temperature microwave complex permittivity of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ superconductors was characterized using a coaxial probe system designed and built in our laboratory. An anomalous difference in complex permittivity between a green sample and a sintered sample was analyzed with respect to oxygen content being a possible key factor to affect the dielectric properties.     

Water Corrosion of YBa2Cu3O7−δ Superconductors

Solid-state sintering was used to make YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconducting bulk materials. Corrosion of the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductor material was investigated in a humid environment. The superconducting materials exhibited significant corrosion after 4 h at 80° and 100% relative humidity. A grain-boundary phase was formed, and the percent superconducting phase in the material decreased by approximately 60%. The transition temperature (T_c) decreased with corrosion time. After 2 h of corrosion, T_c decreased from 87 to 81 K.     

Influence of Post Hot Isostatic Pressing on the Microstructural Development and Critical Current Density of YBa2Cu3O7-x

Samples of nearly theoretical density are produced by post hot isostatic pressing (post-HIP) of presintered YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x using argon as the pressure medium. The hot isostatically pressed samples show improved values for critical current density at 77 K. Experimental aspects of post-HIP are described, and microstructural development of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x during sintering and post-HIP is discussed.     

Experimental and Thermodynamic Study of Nonstoichiometry in 〈YBa2Cu3O7-x〉

The dependence of the nonstoichiometry of 〈YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x〉 (solid) has been studied over 5 orders of magnitude in oxygen pressure and from 573 to 1173 K. Hydrogen-reduction methods for determining the absolute oxygen to-metal ratio were developed. The resulting data were used to derive a chemical thermodynamic representation of the experimental variables. The data were used to derive a chemical thermodynamic representaltion of the experimental variables. The data were also compared with several other investigations to indentify the selfconsistent sets of data. The present data and thermodynamic data from the literature were correlated on an Ellingham diagram.     

Superconducting Properties of Aerosol-Generated YBa2Cu3O7–8 Powders

YBa₂Cu₃O_7–8 superconducting powders are generated by an aerosol route and classified into different size intervals in a cascade impactor. Two length scales (penetration depth, λ, and coherence length, ζ) characterizing superconductivity in aerosol-produced superconducting grains are established for the first time from magnetization measurements. Representing the aerosol size distribution by a lognormal function, the susceptibility (χ) versus particle diameter ( d_p ) relation is analyzed to obtain the penetration depth (λ). The lower and upper critical field strengths, H_c1 and _c2 , are established for the samples. Intraparticle critical current densities are computed from the magnetization results for these aerosol-processed powders.     

Transmission Electron Microscopy Study on the Annealing of YBa2Cu3O7-δ

Annealing in oxygen-rich atmosphere at temperatures between 400° and 600°C is an important step in the manufacture of superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ. The symmetry of the orthorhombic phase requires that if more than one type of twin plane is present within a grain, a distorted region should exist inside the multiple twinned grain. This distorted region hinders the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic transformation and may account for some retained tetragonal phase inside an otherwise orthorhombic grain. A physical model is presented describing the formation of such regions and their eventual transformation into low-angle grain boundaries after long annealing. Extended annealing at intermediate temperatures apparently leads to the formation of planar faults in off-stoichiometric samples. Transmission electron microscope image contrast and energy dispersive X-ray analyses of highly defective regions suggest these defects are CuO _x ( x = 1, 2) extra layers. These extra layers tend to form near grain boundaries or free surfaces, where oxygen is readily available.