Synthesis and enhancement of current density in cerium doped Bi(Pb)Sr(Ba)-2 2 2 3 high Tc superconductor

Bismuth based superconductors (BSCCO) having 2 2 2 3 phase is highly carried by the researchers to study the structural and other properties. The effect of substitution of cerium element on calcium site of bismuth based Bi(Pb)Sr(Ba)-2 2 2 3 high Te superconductor for the enhancement of superconducting properties like critical temperature(T-c) and critical current density (J(c)) are studied. The nominal compositions of Bi1.6Pb0.4(Sr(1-y)Bay)(2)(Ca1-xCex)(2)Cu3Oy (where x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and y = 0.0, 0.4) ceramic superconductor were prepared by wet chemical method. Stoichiometric amounts of Bi2O3, PbO, Sr(NO3)(2), BaCO3, CaCO3, CuO and CeO2 were used as starting materials. The effect of substitution of cerium on calcium site and its effect on current density of Bi-2 2 2 3 phase were studied. To study the structural morphology and surface analysis X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done. It is observed that with the substitution of cerium on calcium site not only the phase pure material is obtained but also the current density increases. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.