Glass–ceramic route of BSCCO superconductors – Fabrication of amorphous precursor

Abstract

It is well known that many Bi–Sr–Ca–Cu–O compositions are glass-forming and some Bi-based glasses such as Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O x and Bi 2Sr 2Ca 2Cu 3O x are converted into high critical temperature superconductors after proper annealing. In order to fabricate superconductors having high- T c and high critical current density using the glass–ceramic route, it is necessary to clarify the total chemical composition of the quenched glasses prepared in most cases by rapid quenching of melts from around 1200 °C in air. The total oxygen content measured directly reflects a significant oxygen deficit due to the melting process. We have also investigated the cation content in quenched Bi 2Sr 2Ca 2Cu 3O x precursors and found that there are substantial differences from the nominal composition to the quenched materials especially for calcium. Such glasses also show some CaO crystalline reflexes in the XRD patterns.