• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.309-315
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• 2013

$GdBa_2Cu_3O_{7-y}$(Gd123) powders were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method using $Gd_2O_3$ (99.9% purity), $BaCO_3$ (99.75%) and CuO (99.9%) powders. The synthesized Gd123 powder and the Gd123 powder with $Gd_2O_3$ addition ($Gd_{1.5}Ba_2Cu_3O_{7-y}$(Gd1.5)) were used as raw powders for the fabrication of Gd123 bulk superconductors. The Gd123 and Gd1.5 bulk superconductors were fabricated by sintering or a top-seeded melt growth (TSMG) process. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_{c,onset}$) of the sintered Gd123 was 93 K and the transition width was as large as 20 K. The $T_{c,onset}$ of the TSMG processed Gd123 was 82 K and the transition width was also as large as 12 K. The critical current density ($J_c$) at 77 K and 0 T of the sintered Gd123 and TSMG processed Gd123 were as low as a few hundreds A/$cm^2$. The addition of 0.25 mole $Gd_2O_3$ and 1 wt.% $CeO_2$ to Gd123 enhanced the $T_c$, $J_c$ and magnetic flux density (H) of the TSMG processed Gd123 sample owing to the formation of the superconducting phase with high flux pinning capability. The $T_c$ of the TSMG processed Gd1.5 was 92 K and the transition width was 1 K. The $J_cs$ at 77 K (0 T and 2 T) were $3.2{\times}10^4\;A/cm^2$ and $2.5{\times}10^4\;A/cm^2$, respectively. The H at 77 K of the TSMG-processed Gd1.5 was 1.96 kG, which is 54% of the applied magnetic field (3.45 kG).

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2013

$YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-y}$ (Y123) powders for the fabrication of bulk superconductors were synthesized by the powder reaction method using $Y_2O_3$ (99.9% purity), $BaCO_3$ (99.75%) and CuO (99.9%) powders. The raw powders were weighed to the cation ratio of Y:Ba:Cu=1:2:3, mixed and calcined at $880^{\circ}C-930^{\circ}C$ in air with intermediate repeated crushing steps. It was found that the formation of Y123 powder was more sensitive to reaction temperature than reaction time. The calcined Y123 powder and a mixture of (Y123 + 0.25 mole $Y_2O_3$ + 1 wt.% $CeO_2$, $Y_{1.5}Ba_2Cu_3O_x$ (Y1.5)) were used as raw powders for the fabrication of poly-grain or single grain superconductors. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_{c,onset}$) of the sintered Y123 sample was 91 K and the transition width was as large as 11 K, whereas the $T_{c,onset}$ of the melt-grown Y1.5 sample was 90.5 K and the transition width was 3.5 K. The critical current density ($J_c$) at 77 K and 0 T of the sintered Y123 was 700 $A/cm^2$, whereas the $J_c$ of the top-seeded melt growth (TSMG) processed Y1.5 sample was $3.2{\times}10^4\;A/cm^2$. The magnetic flux density (H) at 77 K of the TSMG-processed Y123 and Y1.5 sample showed the 0.53 kG and 2.45 kG, respectively, which are 15% and 71% of the applied magnetic field of 3.5 kG. The high H value of the TSMG-processed Y1.5 sample is attributed to the formation of the larger superconducting grain with fine Y211 dispersion.