Effects of calcination temperature on microstructure and superconducting properties of Y123 ceramic prepared using thermal treatment method

• Main Authors: Dihom, Mustafa Mousa, Shaari, Abdul Halim, Baqiah, Hussein, Al-Hada, Naif Mohammed, Chen, Soo Kien, Azis, Raba’ah Syahidah, Kechik, Mohd Mustafa Awang, Abd. Shukor, Roslan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Trans Tech Publications 2017
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61634/1/Effects%20of%20calcination%20temperature%20on%20microstructure%20.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61634/; https://www.scientific.net/SSP.268.325; http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.268.325

Thermal treatment method was employed to produce YBa2Cu3Ox superconductor ceramic. The effects of calcination temperature at 850 °C, set A, and 910 °C, set B, for 24 h followed by sintering at 930, 950 and 980 °C, were investigate using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and four point probe measurement. The orthorhombic structure appears after calcination at 850 and 910 °C beside small amount of impurity phase such as Y2BaCuO5 (Y211). The samples exhibited metallic behaviour and the critical temperature, TC(R=0), increases with increasing sintering temperature. The TC(R=0) of samples calcined at 910 °C is higher than that of sample calcined at 850 °C. The highest TC(R=0), 87 K, was found for sample sintered at 980 °C of set B. An increase in grain size and homogeneity was observed as the sintering temperature increases. The set B sample sintered at 980 °C showed compact grains, which could result in the highest Tc (R=0).