Effect of BaZrO3 nanoparticles addition on the structural and magnetic properties of YBa2Cu3O7-8 superconducyor

Abstract

Superconductor is a green material that conducts electricity without any energy loss and expels penetration of magnetic flux when it is cooled below a certain temperature called critical temperature, Tc. YBa2Cu301-6 is one of the high temperature superconductors (HTS) discovered to show Tc above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. This implies that YBa2Cu301-6 is a potential candidate for a wide range of usage since it can be cooled to below its Tc economically using liquid nitrogen. Magnetic levitation (Maglev) train is among the applications that benefits tremendously from this. To warrant YBa2Cu301-o for the applications, its flux pinning properties and intergranular critical current density, Jcm have to be improved. This is exactly the focus of this project. To do so, 2, 5, and 7 mol. % of BaZr03 nanoparticles (< 50 nm) are added into YBa2Cu301-6 respectively, to form a composite superconductor via solid state reaction technique. BaZr03 is selected for this study because the compound remains inert to reaction with YBa2Cu301-6 and previous studies found that BaZr03 leads to highest increase in Jcm­ Consequently, the Tc is not degraded (around 90 K) and the distribution of the nanoparticles within the matric of YBa2Cu301-o serves as effective pinning centers leading to enhancement of flux pinning capability.