Chapter 14 - Synthesis and structural studies of superconducting perovskite GdBa2Ca3Cu4O10.5+δ nanosystems

Abstract

GdBa2Ca3Cu4O10.5+δ superconducting perovskite nanomaterial is prepared by subsequent steps viz. weighing, mechanical mixing, ball milling, attrition milling and calcination, and applying solid state reaction technique. By XRD studies of GdBa2Ca3Cu4O10.5+δ/GBCCO nanosystems (prepared at various calcination temperatures—30, 500, 850, and 900°C) crystallinity of the samples are confirmed. Using XRD results and applying XPERT PRO software, the lattice parameters and orthorhombic crystal system of the ceramic sample are analyzed. Structural parameters such as d spacing, dislocation density and number of particles per unit surface area are determined as functions of calcination temperature for preferred high intensity peaks (110), (111), (321), and (521). Particle size of preferred orientations at various calcination temperatures are obtained by XRD diffraction peak profile analysis methods such as Debye Scherrer's formula, Cauchy equation, and Williamson Hall (WH) plot method and nanostructure property is confirmed. WH plot also yields the values of lattice strain. It is observed that calcination temperature affects structural parameters.