Effect of nanometer Al2O3 addition on structural and transport properties of YBa2Cu3O7-delta

摘要

The effect of nanometer Al2O3 particles addition on the crystal structure and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7-delta ceramics was studied. Samples were synthesized using standard solid state reaction technique by adding alumina up to 0.6 wt%. The crystal lattice parameters are found to change with Al2O3 addition. No change in the structural symmetry state is obtained. Aluminium was found to incorporate into crystal structure and can occupy both cooper Cu (1) chains and yttrium (Y) atoms. Significant enhancement of superconducting critical current density (J(C)) in applied magnetic field was evidenced for the nanometer Al2O3 added samples, which can be rendered to the presence of the flux pinning centers. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.