Structural and superconducting properties of low-density Bi(Pb)-2223 superconductor: Effect of Eu2O3 nanoparticles addition

Abstract This paper presented the result of the structural analysis of Europium, Eu nanoparticles addition in low-density Bi(Pb)-2223 superconductor. Polycrystalline bulks with nominal composition Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3Oy + xEu2O3 samples where x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 wt% were prepared via solid-state reaction method. Low-density samples were created by adding crystalline sucrose into mixed powders and burn at 400 °C for two hours. The samples were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for structural characterization while resistivity measurement was determined by using four-point probe method. Phase analysis by XRD indicated that both Bi-2212 and Bi-2223 phases coexist within the samples having a tetragonal crystal structure. As Eu concentration increases, the amount of Bi-2223 phase slightly decreased which signifies that Eu nanoparticles favour the growth of Bi-2212 phase. It was observed that the highest Tc and Jc values for the addition sample found at x = 0.2 wt%.