Enhanced critical current density in melt-textured (Y1−xPrx)Ba2Cu3Oy

✍ Scribed by H.T. Ren; K.N.R. Taylor; Y.J. Chen; J.A. Xia; He Qing

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 378 KB
• Volume: 216
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0921-4534
• DOI: 10.1016/0921-4534(93)90088-8

✦ Synopsis

We have investigated the dependence of the magnetisation critical current density Jc of Pr-substituted YBa2Cu3Oy on the percentage praseodymium content (for 0, 2, 4 and 8% substitution) using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Although the critical temperature of these pseudo-quaternary compounds Y1 _xPr~Ba2Cu3Oy decreases gradually as x increases, a maximum in the critical current density is observed for x=0.04. At this composition the critical current density is about three times higher than that in a pure YBa2Cu3Oy sample prepared in the same way. From a discussion of the possible mechanisms it is suggested that J¢ increases as a result of pinning force enhancement due to Pr substitution. This may be associated with the fact that the atomic volume of Pr is larger than that of Y. It is also possible that Pr-containing compound particles ( 123 or 211 ) are finely dispersed in the Y123 superconducting phase leading to increased pinning, and consequently to higher J¢ values.