Carbon nanofibers addition on transport and superconducting properties of bulk YBa2Cu3O7−δ material prepared via co-precipitation

• Published in: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics
• Main Author: Khalid N.A.; Awang Kechik M.M.; Baharuddin N.A.; Kien C.S.; Baqiah H.; Pah L.K.; Shaari A.H.; Talib Z.A.; Hashim A.; Murakami M.; Miryala M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2020
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85090197744&doi=10.1007%2fs10854-020-04255-0&partnerID=40&md5=14f04764af5626a3c01efe7bb15d90f1

The effects of carbon nanofibers addition on transport and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (Y-123) superconductor were studied. Y-123 was prepared using co-precipitation method for good quality bulk of high temperature superconducting material. Carbon nanofibers with 0.2–0.8 wt% were added into Y-123 superconductors. The samples were characterized using electrical resistance measurement for critical temperature (Tc) and critical current density (Jc), powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Most of the samples indicated a dominant Y-123 phase of an orthorhombic structure with a minor phase of BaCO3 and Y-124. Onset critical temperature was found to decrease from 90.5 to 80 K with increasing of carbon nanofibers concentration. The Jc for pure sample is 11 A/cm2 at 30 K while the Jc of sample with 0.4 wt% carbon nanofibers is 830 A/cm2 at 30 K. Introduction of carbon nanofibers enhanced Jc significantly. However, further addition of carbon nanofibers in Y-123 superconductor caused degradation in Jc. © 2020, The Author(s).