Equilibrium phase relations in the Bi–Ca–Sr–Cu–O system at 850 and 900°C

Abstract

The phase relations of equilibrium compounds in the pseudoternary system Bi2O3–(Ca,Sr)O–CuO at 850 and 900°C were studied. The ratio of Ca : Sr was fixed at 1:2. Starting materials of Bi2O3, CaCO3, SrCO3, and CuO with various ratios were mixed, pressed into pellets, and heated at or above and then brought back to 850 or 900°C for different durations to ensure that equilibrium had been reached. The products were cooled in air or quenched in liquid nitrogen and then identified by x-ray powder diffraction. At 850°C, only the superconducting phase, Bi2CaSr2Cu2Ox (2122), was observed inside the triangle. The other stable phases were all positioned on the boundary lines, and included CuO·⅗MO, CuO·MO, CuO·2MO, 1.½Bi2O3·0.9MO, Bi2O3·4MO, Bi2O3·9MO, and a solid solution, Bi2O3·xMO, where 0.16  x  0.82 and MO represents ⅓(CaO·2SrO). At 900°C, the above boundary line phases remained stable but the 2122 phase was not observed. The tie lines among the stable phases in the two isotherms were established.