Modification of the electrical and magnetic properties of Bi-2212 ceramic superconductors by nano-sized europium substitution
摘要
Different quantities of nano-sized europium (80 nm) (x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2) are substituted onto the strontium sites in the Bi-2212 superconducting system in this study. Phase formation, morphological structure, superconductivity transition temperatures, and magnetization analyses in ceramic superconductor materials prepared by the solid-state reaction method were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), resistivity temperature (R-T), and magnetization (M-H) measurements, respectively. With the formation of some impurity phases, the Bi-2212 high temperature superconducting phase is the fundamental structure in all samples according to the XRD data. Theoretical phase analysis (Williamson–Hall and phase section calculations) based on XRD measurement results determined that nano-sized europium particles developed the Bi-2212 phase. No impurity phase, promising for superconductivity, was observed in the sample containing nano-sized europium at x = 0.05. The morphological examination carried out with SEM measurement revealed that all samples exhibited plate-like grain structures, which confirmed the development of Bi-2212 phases. The plate-like grains showed a more regular orientation with increasing europium substitution at the nano-sized. Above the onset temperature, all of the samples exhibited metallic behavior according to the electrical measurement results. Furthermore, up to the substituting value x = 0.2, an increase in the superconducting transition temperature values was noted. All samples exhibited diamagnetic behavior, which is typical of the Bi-2212 superconductor phase according to the M-H measurement data. A slight broadening of the hysteresis field was seen in the sample with nano-sized europium at x = 0.1, implying better magnetic performance. The critical current density (Jc) was determined using the Bean current density model. Higher Jc values were computed due to modifications in the morphological structure and diamagnetic characteristics of the sample containing europium nanoparticles with x = 0.1.