Influence of the lamella structure and high isostatic pressure on the critical current density in in situ MgB2 wires without a barrier

Abstract

In this article, the significant impact of a lamellar (layered) structure and a high isostatic pressure on the normal state resistance (Rn), critical temperature (Tc), irreversible magnetic field (Birr), upper magnetic field (Bc2) and critical current densities (Jc) at 4.2 K and 20 K was presented. Our research showed that annealing at temperatures in the range of 630 °C–680 °C (above the melting point of Mg) at atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa) did not create a lamellar (layered) structure. This led to low Tc, Jc and Birr and high Rn. The analysis, made by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showed that the annealing temperature increased up to 700 °C under a pressure of 0.1 MPa, which created a lamellar structure. This led to significant growth of Tc, Jc and Birr and a slight increase of Rn. Moreover, the measurements showed that annealing at temperatures from 630 °C to 700 °C did not change the Bc2 value. In comparison to pressureless heat treatment, annealing under the high isostatic pressure of 1.1 GPa obtained a lamellar structure with layers of lower thickness and higher density. This led to significant increases in Jc and Birr and a visible reduction of Rn. SEM analysis showed that the increase of isostatic pressure up to 0.3 GPa created a lamellar structure with thicker layers and lower density. This microstructure led to lower Jc and Birr and significantly higher Rn. On the other hand, the SEM analysis showed that annealing under 0.8 GPa did not cause the formation of a layered structure, and as a result, it led to significant reductions in Birr and Jc (4.2 K and 20 K) and higher Rn. The increase of the isostatic pressure from 0.1 MPa to 1.1 GPa did not affect Tc (B = 0 T) and Bc2. The results indicated that the layered structure obtained a high density of pinning centers, which were particularly effective at higher magnetic fields. Jc of 100 A/mm2 in 8 T at 4.2 K was obtained in in situ undoped MgB2 wires after annealing at 700 °C for 40 min under an isostatic pressure of 1.1 GPa.