Highly coercive cobalt ferrite nanoparticles-CuTl-1223 superconductor composites

Abstract

We explored the effects of highly coercive cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles addition on structural, morphological, and superconducting properties of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223} matrix. Series of (CoFe2O4)x/CuTl-1223 (x=0 ~2.0 wt%) composites samples were synthesized and were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy, and dc-resistivity versus temperature measurements. The magnetic behavior of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles was determined by MH-loops with the help of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). MH-loops analysis showed that these nanoparticles exhibit high saturation magnetization (86 emu/g) and high coercivity (3350 Oe) at 50 K. The tetragonal structure of host CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix was not altered after the addition of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles, which gave us a clue that these nanoparticles had occupied the inter-granular sites (grain-boundaries) and had filled the pores. The increase of mass density with increasing content of these nanoparticles in composites can also be an evidence of filling up the voids in the matrix. The resistivity versus temperature measurements showed an increase in zero resistivity critical {Tc(0)}, which could be most probably due to improvement of weak-links by the addition of these nanoparticles. But the addition of these nanoparticles beyond an optimum level caused the agglomeration and produced additional stresses in material and suppressed the superconductivity.