A new RE + 011 TSIG method for the fabrication of high quality and large size single domain YBCO bulk superconductors

Abstract

High quality single domain YBCO bulk superconductors, 20 mm in diameter, have been fabricated using a new top seeded infiltration and growth method (called the RE + 011 TSIG method), with a new solid phase (Y2O3 + xBaCuO2) instead of the conventional Y2BaCuO5 solid phase, x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0. The effects of different BaCuO2 contents x on the growth morphology, microstructure, and levitation force have been investigated. The results show that the levitation force of the YBCO bulks first increases and then decreases with increasing x, and reaches maximum levitation forces of about 49.2 N (77 K, 0.5 T, with the traditional liquid phase of YBa2Cu3Oy + 3 BaCuO2 + 2 CuO) and 47 N (77.3 K, 0.5 T, with the new liquid phase of Y2O3 + 10 BaCuO2 + 6 CuO) when x = 1.2, which is much higher than that of the samples fabricated with the conventional solid phases (23 N). The average Y2BaCuO5 particle size is about 1 μm, which is much smaller than the 3.4 μm in the samples prepared with the conventional Y2BaCuO5 solid phase; this means that the flux pinning force of the sample can be improved by using the new solid phase. Based on this method, single domain YBCO bulks 40 mm, 59 mm, and 93 mm in diameter have also been fabricated using the TSIG process with the new solid phases (Y2O3 + 1.2BaCuO2). These results indicate that the new TSIG process developed by our lab is a very important and practical method for the fabrication of low cost, large size, and high quality single domain REBCO bulk superconductors.

YBa2Cu3O7‐δ superconductor bulks composited by Y2BaCuO5 nanoparticles derived from homogeneous nucleation catastrophe

“…Obviously, the fourfold growth facet lines are clearly visible, indicating that the Y123 bulks using MPP can grow as well as those employing CPP. Considering its time and cost-saving merit in the powder preparation, the MPP-used TSMG is preferentially applicable over the CPP one for industrial production, which is similar to the fabrication of low-cost and high-quality bulks in TSIG reported by Yang et al 19 Furthermore, it can be seen from insets of Figure 1 that the black parts, representing lost liquid during the MG process, have apparently smaller areas in the case of MPP than CPP. As previously reported, the less liquid loss indicates the higher viscosity of melt caused by massive small Y211 particles.…”

Influence of Artificially Macroscopical Drilling on the Crystal Growth Orientation of Single Domain SmBCO Bulk Superconductor

“…The Yb 2 O 3 powder (purity 99.9%) was then pressed into a thin cylindrical block, with a diameter of 40 mm, as a ground substrate to support the liquid phase during the heating process to prevent the loss of the liquid phase [19]. Finally, the precursor sample was assembled via the typical configuration before the TSIG process, with a NdBCO seed crystal placed at the center of the top surface of the drilled SmBCO pellet and the a-b plane parallel to the surface [20].…”

Influence of ZnO doping on the properties of single domain YBCO bulks fabricated by RE+011 TSIG process

“…However, the conventional TSIG method is more complicated and waste of time because it needs to prepare three kinds of precursor powders of REBa 2 Cu 3 O y (RE123), RE 2 BaCuO 5 (RE211) and Ba 3 Cu 5 O 8 . In order to improve the working efficiency and reduce the fabrication cost of the TSIG technique, a lower cost and highly effective new RE+011 TSIG method 21 has been developed for fabrication of REBCO bulks with new solid phase source of (RE 2 O 3 + xBaCuO 2 ) and liquid phase source of (RE 2 O 3 +10BaCuO 2 +6CuO). It remains to be seen whether it is possible for us to improve the physical properties of YBCO bulks with ZnO addition by the new Y+011 TSIG method or not.…”