Synthesis and Characterization of Low Density Bi-2223 Cuprates Superconductor Doped Eu<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoparticles

Abstract

Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2-xEuxCu3Oδ cuprates superconductor doped with Eu nanoparticles (x = 0.0000, 0.0025, 0.0200 and 0.0500) were synthesized through conventional solid state reaction method. Crystalline sucrose was added during pelletization and burn at 400°C for two hours to create low density sample. The effect of doping Eu2O3 nanoparticles on the structural and superconducting properties by means of critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc), X-ray diffraction (XRD) together with Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Alternating Current Susceptibility (ACS) were studied. Based on XRD analyses, the crystallographic structure has shown slightly changed from tetragonal to orthorhombic. The amount of 2223 phase gradually decreased with the increment of Eu concentration which indicates that Eu nanoparticles substitution favours the growth of 2212 phases. The resistivity measurements show that the highest Tcvalue for doped samples found at 90 K for x = 0.0025. The FESEM images showed that the plate-like grains become smaller and distributed randomly without specific alignment due to the increment of Eu concentration.