THE INFLUENCE OF SINTERING AND Sb CONTENT ON THE FORMATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING PHASE IN Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O SYSTEM

Abstract

Six different compositions in ( Bi 1.5 Pb 0.5−x Sb x) Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O y (with x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) have been prepared by the solid state reaction method. Sintering at different temperatures (between 800–860° C) and time periods has been carried out in order to study its effect on T c values. The samples have been characterized by x ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and measurement of resistance at various temperatures. The study reveals that the incorporation of Sb up to x = 0.2 promotes the formation of a high-T c 2223 phase and large sintering time helps in reducing the number of unwanted phases. Compositions with x ≥ 0.3 result in the formation of a new monoclinic "4441 phase" (along with 2223 and 2212 minor phases) which is non-superconducting down to 77 K. Sintering time at 860°C for samples with x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 affects the respective T c values and the maximum values observed are 94 K, 96 K, 100 K and 87 K, respectively. The samples with x = 0.4 and 0.5 do not superconduct up to 77 K.