Role of Co3O4 Nanoparticles Addition in Infield Superconducting Properties of CuTl-1223 Phase

Abstract

The role of ferromagnetic cobalt tetraoxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles’ addition in (Cu0.5Tl0.5) Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223) superconductor was investigated via infield transport properties measurements. The solgel method was used for synthesis of Co3O4 nanoparticles and CuTl-1223 superconducting phase was prepared by solid-state reaction method. These Co3O4 nanoparticles were added in appropriate ratio to the precursor of CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix during its synthesis to get (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223; x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 wt% nanoparticle–superconductor composites. The crystal structure of bulk CuTl-1223 superconducting phase was observed not to be changed with the inclusion of Co3O4 nanoparticles, which indicated the dispersion and settlement of these nanoparticles across the grain boundaries of the host CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix. The increase in superconducting transition width and the decrease in activation energy deduced from in field dc-resistivity measurements with the inclusion of Co3O4 nanoparticles were the prominent indicatives of enhancement in flux dynamics. Thus Co3O4 nanoparticles of ferromagnetic nature act as anti-flux pinning agent in the host CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix.