Improvement of critical parameters of YBCO superconductor by addition of graphene oxide

Abstract

Here we discuss the preparation and characterization of YBa2Cu3O7-δ high temperature superconductor through standard solid state reaction route and added with different (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, & 0.7) wt. % of graphene oxide (GO). The phase purity and surface morphology of the composite samples were examined through the X-ray powder diffraction and Field emission scanning electron microscopy respectively. The self field transport measurement and electric field versus current density measurement confirms the occurrence of superconductivity in the composite materials. The maximum value of critical temperature is found to be 96.42 K for 0.7 wt. % GO added sample. Similarly, the maximum value of critical current density is observed to be 412.92 A/cm2 for 0.7 wt. % GO added sample at 77K. This may be attributed to enhancement in superconducting volume fraction of the sample, as GO resides near the grain boundary region to increase the weak link between the superconducting grains.