Improvement of the Irreversibility Line of the 1212 Compound Tl0.5Pb0.5Sr2CaCu2O7?δ

The superconducting properties and the irreversibility line of the Tl_0.5Pb_0.5Sr₂CaCu₂O_7– were studied by ac susceptibility on both ceramic and powder samples prepared in sealed quartz tube at 960°C. In parallel, carefull investigations by DTA/Tg, X rays diffraction and plasma emission spectroscopy were performed on each sample after each thermal treatment. It is shown that the superconducting properties are strongly dependent on further heat treatments and that the irreversibility line may be optimized. Nevertheless, the results obtained suggest that further improvement of the irreversibility line might be expected.     

Percolation Behavior of the Normal-State Resistivity and Superconductivity of the YBa2Cu3O7?δ-Ba2GdNbO6 Composite System

The percolation behavior of the normal-state resistivity and superconductivity of the YBa₂Cu₃O_7–Ba₂GdNbO₆ composite system were studied by X-ray diffraction and temperature-resistivity measurements. No detectable chemical reaction was observed between the YBa₂Cu₃O_7– superconductor and the ceramic insulator Ba₂GdNbO₆, even after severe heat treatment above 950°C. The normal-state and superconducting percolation threshold values were found to be 17 vol.% and 30 vol.% of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– respectively in the YBa₂Cu₃O_7–-Ba₂GdNbO₆ composite system. The values obtained for the critical exponents describing the normal-state pecolation behavior of the system matched fairly well with the theoretically expected values for an ideal metal-insulator composite system.     

Influence of conditions on the potential of the couple of nonoxygenated U5+/U4+ ions bound in complexes with the P2W17O 6110? and SiW11O 398? anions

The formal potential of the couple of nonoxygenated U⁵⁺/U⁴⁺ ions bound in complexes with unsaturated heteropoly anions (HPAs) P₂W₁₇O₆₁¹⁰⁻ (I) and SiW_{11 O39}⁸⁻ (II) in 0–1 M NaNO₃ and 1 M (NaCl + HCl) in the range of pH 0.7–4.7 was measured. In 1 M NaNO₃ solutions at pH 4.7–3.0 for I and 4.3–3.9 for II, the formal potentials are constant: 0.820 and 0.730 V, respectively. They preserve approximately the same value with a decrease in pH to 0.7 in 1 M (NaCl + HCl). The potential noticeably decreases with a decrease in the NaNO₃ or NaCl concentration from 1 M to 0 (pH 4.1–4.7): to 0.09 and 0.05–0.06 V for I and II, respectively. Approximate constancy of the potential of the U⁵⁺/U⁴⁺ couple with a decrease in pH to 1 and lower distinguishes this couple from the M⁴⁺/M³⁺ couples (M = Ce, Am, Bk) whose potential appreciably grows with increasing acidity. This is due to the fact that the U⁵⁺ and M⁴⁺ ions in acid solutions remain in the form of complexes with the ratio M: HPA = 1: 2, whereas the M³⁺ ions pass into the form of 1: 1 complexes. Thus, variation of the formal potentials of all the M ^{n + 1}/M ⁿ⁺ couples in the presence of H⁺ and Na⁺ ions is associated with variation of the stability constants of the complexes M(HPA)₂, which, in turn, is caused by interaction of single-charged ions with HPA. However, the H⁺ and Na⁺ ions interact with HPA by different mechanisms and therefore affect the potential of the U⁵⁺/U⁴⁺ couple differently. Original Russian Text ? V.P. Shilov, A.B. Yusov, A.M. Fedoseev, Ph. Moisy, 2008, published in Radiokhimiya, 2008, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 393–396.     

Anomalous behaviour of the magnetic hysteresis loop in the α-Fe2O3/SiO2 nanocomposite

The α-Fe₂O₃/SiO₂ nanocomposite containing 45 wt.% of hematite was prepared by the sol-gel method and characterized by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. TEM microscopy showed spherical particles with average size about 10 nm, whereas XRD diffraction confirmed the formation of the hematite phase. The magnetic measurements showed anomalous behavior of the hysteresis loops including decrease of high field isothermal magnetization and overlap of initial, remagnetization and magnetization curves. This anomalous behavior represents a novel effect for α-Fe₂O₃/SiO₂ nanocomposites. We conjecture that a field-induced antiferromagnetic coupling between nanoparticles may produce this effect.     

Obtainment of the Fe0.70?xCrxAl0.3/Al2O3 nanocomposite by the method of SHS of mechanoactivated Cr2O3 + Fe + Al mixtures

Applying M?ssbauer spectroscopy methods, we have studied the structure of nanocomposites obtained by a technique combining the preliminary mechanical activation of an 8.1 wt % Cr₂O₃ + 65.9 wt % Fe + 25 wt % Al mixture and self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). It has been found that, at the stage of mechanical activation, an Fe/Al/Cr₂O₃ composite with a low impurity of the Fe₂Al₅ intermetallide is formed. At the stage of SHS, the interaction between activated components of the mixture leads to the formation of the Fe_{0.7 − x} Cr _x Al_0.3 (x = 0 − 0.2)/Al₂O₃ composite. Original Russian Text ? T.Yu. Kiseleva, A.A. Novakova, T.L. Talako, T.F. Grigor’eva, A.N. Falkova, 2009, published in Neorganicheskie Materialy, 2009, Vol. 45, No. 7, pp. 892–896.     

Preparation of the BaTiO3–SiO2 hybrid particles for the catalyst of methane steam reforming process

BaTiO₃ nano-coated SiO₂ (BaTiO₃–SiO₂) hybrid particles were prepared by liquid phase deposition and sol–gel process. The obtained BaTiO₃–SiO₂ hybrid particles have relatively high surface area (20 m² g⁻¹) at 600 °C annealing temperature. Ni component was impregnated to the obtained BaTiO₃–SiO₂ hybrid particles, and the obtained catalyst was used for the methane steam reforming process to consider the effect of the surface area on the catalytic activity. The catalytic activity of the Ni/BaTiO₃–SiO₂ catalyst was approximately three times as large as that of the reported Ni/BaTiO₃ catalyst, even in the lower process temperature. However, the limitation temperature for methane steam reforming process of this hybrid material was 600 °C, because of the diffusion of the Ba component.     

Role of chlorine on the opto-electronic properties of β-In2S3 thin films

Effect of chlorine doping on the opto-electronic properties of β-In₂S₃ thin film, deposited by spray pyrolysis technique is studied for the first time. Chlorine was incorporated in the spray solution, using HCl. Pristine sample prepared using In(NO₃)₃ and thiourea as the precursors showed very low photosensitivity. But upon adding optimum quantity of chlorine, the photosensitivity increased by 3 orders. X-ray analysis revealed that crystallinity was also increasing up to this optimum level of Cl concentration. It was also observed that samples with high photosensitivity were having higher band gap. The present study proved that doping with chlorine was beneficial as this could result in forming crystalline and photosensitive films of indium sulfide.     

Systematics of the thermopower below Tc in Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8+δ

A systematic study of the mixed-state thermopower in Tl₂Ba₂CaCu₂O₈₊ indicates a that there are two contributions to the total signal. The largest contribution is accurately proportional to the resistivity, as previously reported. We have also identified a new, additional contribution to the thermopower. The source of the excess thermopower is not presently determined, and may be related to vortex fluctuations or d-wave superconductivity.This work is supported in part by USAFOSR F49620-93-1-0310, NSF Grant No. DMR 91-22043, ARPA Grant MDA 972-90-J-1001, the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston, and the T.L.L. Temple Foundation.     

Effect of Nano-Sized ZnO on the Physical Properties of (Cu0.5Tl0.25Pb0.25)Ba2Ca2Cu3O10?δ

High-temperature superconductor phase of (Cu_0.5Tl_0.25Pb_0.25)-1223 was synthesized by solid-state reaction technique and characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). XRD analysis revealed that the prepared sample was nearly monophase and exhibited tetragonal structure with space group P4/mmm. Nano-zinc-oxide, prepared by Co-precipitation method, was added to the sample. ZnO-concentrations y varied from 0.0 to 2.0 wt.% of the sample’s mass. The prepared samples were investigated through XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), particle size analyzer (PSA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), electrical resistivity and transport critical current density measurement. X-ray data analysis showed that the nano-Zn addition does not affect the tetragonal structure of (Cu_0.5Tl_0.25Pb_0.25)-1223 phase, whereas the lattice parameters showed an insignificant variation. The results of the superconducting transition temperature, the transport critical current density and melting point of the prepared samples were found to depend on nano-ZnO concentrations.     

A Study of the Magnetic Properties of?Bi1.64?xPb0.36CdxSr2Ca2Cu3Oy Superconductor

The flux pinning energy and magnetic properties of Bi_1.64−x Pb_0.36Cd _x Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O _y (BPCSCCO) with x=0.0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 were studied. A series of Bi-2223 superconductor samples with a nominal composition of BPCSCCO was synthesized and the effect of Cd substitution for Bi was investigated. As a result, Cd addition has been found to improve the superconducting properties of the Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system. The effects of the annealing time and the amount of Cd doping on the structure, AC magnetic susceptibility, ρ–T curves and flux pinning energy were investigated. Also, for all samples the relation between the current and voltage in the mixed state was found to follow the model relationship V=α I ^β . The maximum value of β is 22.30, which is obtained for the sample with an annealing time of 270 h and a Cd content of 0.04.     

Effect of Ba Substitution on the Superconducting Properties and the Irreversibility Line of the Compounds TIPb 1223: Tl0.5Pb0.5(Sr 2?xBax)Ca2Cu3O9?δ

The superconducting properties and the irreversibility line of the Tl_0.5Pb_0.5(Sr_2–xBa_x)Ca₂Cu₃O_9– were studied by ac susceptibility on both ceramic and powdered samples. The samples were prepared by solid state reaction in flowing oxygen at 880°C or in sealed quartz tube at 960°C. The irreversibility lines were measured up to 4 Tesla and were determined by the maximum of the X peak, using the same ac field to allow comparison between them. The presence of the 1212 phase as a minor superconducting phase was clearly evidenced in all cases. The case of samples of TlPbl223 with Tl/Pb ratio different from unity was also examined.     

Enhancement of the Current Density J C for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 by?Means of Carbon and NbSe2 Nanotubes

Three polycrystalline Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈, Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ with carbon nanotubes, Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ with NbSe₂ nanotubes were synthesized by solid state reaction method and studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The critical temperature T _C for the three compounds was about 85 K. There is an enhancement in the critical current density, J _C for samples with carbon and NbSe₂ nanotubes as compared with pure Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈. The enhancement provides evidence that wetting exists for the two doped samples investigated.      

Electrical resistivity of the hole doped La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 manganites: Role of electron–electron/phonon/magnon interactions

In this work, a quantitative analysis of reported metallic and insulating behaviour of resistivity in perovskite manganites La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ is established. An effective inter-ionic interaction potential (EIoIP) with the long-range Coulomb, van der Waals (vdW) interaction and short-range repulsive interaction up to second-neighbour ions within the Hafemeister and Flygare approach was employed to estimate the Debye and Einstein temperature and was found to be consistent with the available experimental data. The electrical resistivity data in low temperature regime (T < T_MI) were theoretically analyzed within the framework of the classical electron–phonon model of resistivity, for example, the Bloch–Gruneisen (BG) model. The Bloch–Gruneisen (BG) model and terms T², T^4.5 simplify the electron–phonon, electron–electron and electron–magnon scattering processes. On the other hand, in high temperature regime (T > T_MI) the insulating nature is discussed with Mott's variable range hopping (VRH) model and small polaron conduction (SPC) model. For T > T_MI SPC model is more appropriate than the VRH model. The SPC model consistently retraces the higher temperature resistivity behaviour (T > θ_D/2). The metallic and semiconducting resistivity behaviours of La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ manganites are analyzed, to the knowledge, for the first time highlighting the importance of electron–phonon, electron–electron, electron–magnon interactions and small polaron conduction.     

Theory of the Phase-Sensitive Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δc-Axis Twist Josephson Junction Experiments

We studied theoretically the phase-sensitive c-axis Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ (BSCCO) bicrystal twist Josephson junction experiments of Li et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 4160 (1999)), calculating the critical current as a function of the twist angle in a wide variety of models. The data provide strong evidence that the c-axis tunneling in BSCCO is incoherent, and that the order parameter is s-wave for T T _c.     

The synthesis of the first stage graphite salt C8+AsF6− and its relationship to the first stage graphite/AsF5 intercalate

Oxidation of graphite with excess O₂⁺AsF₆^?, in suspension in SO₂C1F, produces the blue first-stage graphite salt of composition C₈AsF₆, which X-ray single crystal photographs show is hexagonal with a = 4.92(2), c = 8.10(2), $\text{V}\text{= 170}\text{A}\text{?}{}^3$. The blue first-stage material of approximate composition C₁₀AsF₅ obtained from graphite and AsF₅ has a related pseudo cell. Arsenic X-ray absorption-edge spectra show that C₈AsF₆ contains AsF₆^? alone, and that the graphite/AsF₅ intercalte contains AsF₆^? and AsF₃ in accord with the AsF₅ reduction:

$\text{3 AsF}{}_5\text{+ 2 e}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{→ 2 AsF}{}_6{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{+ AsF}{}_3$

Treatment of the graphite/AsF₅ compound with F₂ gas results in conversion of all of the intercalated arsenic to AsF₆^?.     

Investigation of the Off-Diagonal Thermoelectric Effect on Textured YBa2Cu3O7?δ

Both the off-diagonal Seebeck effect and the off-diagonal Peltier effect were investigated on the same textured sample YBa₂Cu₃O_7– and with the use of the same experimental setup. The effectiveness of several kinds of heat-conductive media was studied for the measurement. The flatness of both the sample and the heat-conducting block, and the matching between them were found very important for the reduction of the heat resistance of the interfaces. A reasonable agreement was found between the off-diagonal Seebeck coefficient measured by the off-diagonal Seebeck effect and that by the off-diagonal Peltier effect. The steplike feature in the relation between the off-diagonal Seebeck coefficient and the annealing temperature may imply a nonmonotonous change of the Seebeck coefficient along the c axis (S _c) with oxygen content.     

The Influence of Lithium Halides on the Superconducting Properties of YB2Cu3O7?x

The effects of addition to YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x of lithium halides (YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x (LiF) _y , and YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x (LiCl) _y ) on the structural, electric, magnetic, and transport properties are analyzed. Both structural and superconducting properties depend weakly on the lithium content up to y= 0.10. The critical temperature keeps on a value well above 91 K for a small amount of lithium halide (reaching 93.48K. for y= 0.02 in YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x (LiF) _y and 91.30 K in YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x (LiCl) _y ), but for higher concentration of Li it rapidly decreases (81.68K for y= 0.20). The same behavior is exhibited in the lower intragranular critical field. The intragranular critical current density depends on the magnetic field as a power law:j _cB ^–, with a lithium-concentration-dependent . The voltage–current characteristics follow a law typical for granular superconductors, V(I–I _c(B,T)) ^n(B,T). The dependence of the intergranular critical current, I _c, and of the exponent, n, on temperature, magnetic field, and concentration is analyzed.     

The influence of BaGeO3 on the properties of Ba(Ti1?xSnx)O3 ceramics on the basis of sol-gel powders

Ba(Ti_1−x−y Sn _x Ge _y )O₃ (BTSG-x-y; x = 0, 0.05; y = 0–0.05) powders were synthesized by a sol-gel (SG) method and for comparative purposes also by a mixed-oxide (MO) method. In this system, BaGeO₃ functions as sintering additive. Due to smaller particle sizes of the SG powders a higher sintering activity was found, which resulted in reduced grain growth and in a more homogenous grain size distribution for the corresponding ceramics. The dependence on the paraelectric ⇆ ferroelectric phase transition, i.e. the phase transition temperature, the width of the transition region and completeness were examined by dielectric measurements, DTA as well as by SEM, EDX and XRD investigations with respect to the BaGeO₃ content, synthesis method and sintering temperature. The phase transition temperatures of the SG ceramics are remarkably higher than those of the MO ceramics with the same nominal compositions. The reason is a lower tin concentration within the grains of SG ceramics as confirmed by EDX and XRD investigations. The presence of BaGeO₃ in barium titanate–stannate system on the basis of a SG method caused an improved incorporation of tin in the BaTiO₃ lattice.     

FTIR Spectra of the M(EDTA)n? Complexes in the Process of Sol-Gel Technique

Sol-gel is one of the effective techniques for preparing YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 –} (YBCO) coatings at relatively low cost. Its process from gel to oxide coatings, however, was not yet fully understood. This is one of the obstacles for achieving YBCO coatings with good superconducting properties. In this paper, we chose EDTA as the complexant to prepare gels with different kinds of M(EDTA)^n– complexes, where M is any combination of Y, Ba, and Cu cations, in order to investigate the decomposition process of the gels with the help of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Comparing the FTIR spectra of the gel powders with those of the calcined powders, we found that the decomposed temperatures were different for different M(EDTA)^n– complexes. We considered this was the cause of the Ba segregation (as BaCO₃) in the coatings at low heating temperature, which in turn blocked the formation of high quality YBa₂Cu₃O_7–.     

On the νSiO infrared absorption of polysiloxane films

The infrared absorption of polysiloxanes involves a strong band at around 1050 cm^− 1, attributed to the antisymmetric vibration of siloxane bridges. The splitting of this band into two components is generally attributed to coupling between next-neighbor siloxane groups along the polysiloxane chain. From a quantitative analysis of the spectra of these materials, we find that this splitting is larger when the material is in thin-film form, and that the relative intensity of the two components is polarization dependent. We show that these effects are fully understandable in the theoretical framework of infrared absorption by thin films, and are related to long-range dipolar interactions responsible for the longitudinal-transverse splitting effect in crystalline materials. As a consequence, the polarization dependence of the infrared absorption observed for thin films does not appear to be associated with an orientational ordering in the film.