Investigation of Structural and Superconducting Properties of Cr Added Bi-2212 Superconducting Ceramics

This study reports the effect of Cr addition on the structural and superconducting properties of Bi1.8Sr2.0CrxCa1.1Cu2.1Oy superconductor with x=0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 0.7, and 1 by means of X-ray analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and resistivity measurements. The samples studied in this work were prepared using the standard solid-state reaction method. Zero resistivity transition temperatures (Tc) are qualitatively estimated from the dc resistivity measurements. The zero resistivity transition temperatures are obtained to decrease from 81 K to 53 K with the increase in Cr addition. Moreover, the phase and lattice parameters were determined from XRD measurements. Based on the refinement of cell parameters done by considering the structural modulation, the Cr addition was confirmed by an increase of the lattice parameter a and decrease of the cell parameter a of the samples in comparison with that of the undoped sample (Cr0). As for the microstructure and element composition analyses on the surface of the samples produced, SEM and EDS measurements were investigated. According to the measurements, not only were the grain sizes of the samples noted to decrease, but also the surface morphology and grain connectivity were obtained to degrade with increase in the Cr addition. The possible reasons for the observed degradation in microstructural and superconducting properties due to Cr addition were also discussed.