Achieving low cost, safe, reproducible and high performance superconducting thin films of YBa2Cu3O7-δ is essential to bring this material to the energy market. Here, we report on the chemical solution deposition of YBa2Cu3O7-δ nanocomposites from environmentally benign precursors with a low-fluorine content. Preformed ZrO2 nanocrystals (3.5 nm) were stabilized in a methanolic precursor solution via two strategies: charge stabilization and steric stabilization. Counter-intuitively, charge stabilization did not result in high quality superconducting layers, while the steric stabilization resulted in highly reproducible nanocomposite thin films with a self-field Jc of 4-5 MA cm -² (77 K) and a much smaller decay of Jc with magnetic field compared to YBa2Cu3O7-δ without nanocrystals. In addition, these nanocomposite films show a strong pinning force enhancement and a reduced Jc anisotropy compared to undoped YBa2Cu3O7-δ films. Given the relationship between the nanocrystal surface chemistry and final nanocomposite performance, we expect these results to be also relevant for other nanocomposite research.-2 -

This paper reports the successful application of ink-jet printing to the deposition of both continuous coatings and multi-filamentary structures of YBCO. Stable inks have been prepared using both the established TFA-MOD route and novel fluorine-free precursors with appropriate rheological properties for ink-jet printing. Continuous and well textured coatings with lengths exceeding 100 m and a thickness of 0.5 µm have been deposited by electromagnetic ink-jet printing from TFA precursors on LZO-buffered Ni–W substrates and samples have achieved a Jc around 1.5 MA cm−2 (self-field, 77 K). On single crystal substrates, continuous coatings and multi-filamentary structures have been deposited using piezoelectric ink-jet printing both from TFA- and water-based precursors, achieving Jc values up to 3 MA cm−2.

Die metallischen Eigenschaften der Carbidhalogenide Y2X2C2 beruhen auf YC‐Kovalenz. Die Supraleitung der Verbindungen wird auf paarweise Attraktion von Leitungselektronen durch C2‐π*‐Zustände an der Fermikante zurückgeführt. Diese Hypothese wird experimentell und mit Bandstrukturrechnungen verfolgt. Neutronenbeugung am Pulver ergibt d(CC) = 128(1) pm für Y2Br2C2. Röntgeneinkristalluntersuchungen an Y2Br2C2 und Y2I1,5Br0,5C2 zeigen eine charakteristische Änderung der Koordination für die C2‐Gruppe. Die systematische Variation des mittleren Halogenidradius in Y2(X,X′)2C2 (X,X′ = Br, Cl; I, Cl und I, Br) ergibt einen monotonen Anstieg von Tc = 2,3 K (X = Cl) über Tc = 5,05 K (X = Br) mit einem Maximum bei Tc = 11,2 für Y2I1,6Br0,4C2. Ein Isotopeneffekt 12C/13C wird nicht gefunden. Photoelektronenspektren von Y2Br2C2 (Anregungsenergien zwischen 40 und 140 eV) werden mit den Ergebnissen von Bandstrukturrechnungen (LMTO, E.H.) verglichen. Die elektronische Struktur zeigt insbesondere zwei Bänder, die das Ferminiveau kreuzen. Eines besitzt C2‐π*‐Y‐dxz,yz‐Charakter und hat einen Sattelpunkt bei EF. Das zweite schneidet mit großer Dispersion das Ferminiveau und hat dort ausschließlich Y‐d x 2−y 2‐Charakter. Die Ergebnisse werden im Rahmen theoretischer Modelle (van‐Hove‐Singularität; lokal gepaarte und itinerante Elektronen) diskutiert.

In this work, the reaction mechanism used in the preparation of fluorine-free superconducting YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) (YBCO) was investigated. To determine which precursor interactions are dominant, a comprehensive thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis) study was performed. The results suggest that a three step reaction mechanism, with a predominant role for BaCO(3), is responsible for the conversion of the initial state to the superconducting phase. In the presence of CuO, the decarboxylation of BaCO(3) is kinetically favored with the formation of BaCuO(2) as a result. BaCuO(2) reacts with the remaining CuO to form a liquid which ultimately reacts with Y(2)O(3) in a last step to form YBCO. High temperature X-ray diffraction experiments confirm that these results are applicable for thin film synthesis prepared from an aqueous fluorine-free sol-gel precursor.

Chemical solution deposition (CSD) of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) nanocomposites from colloidal precursor solutions containing double metal oxide preformed nanocrystals is a promising, costeffective and reproducible approach to produce superconducting films with high critical current density (Jc) and enhanced pinning. Here, the influence of the preformed nanocrystal composition on the microstructure and superconducting properties of the YBCO nanocomposite films is studied, with a focus on establishing a simple and scalable process to grow nanocomposites that can be transferred to grow nano-added coated conductors. Colloidal stable BaZrO3, BaHfO3, BaTiO3 and SrZrO3 nanocrystals (3-6 nm in diameter) were synthesized and added to an environment-friendly low-fluorine YBCO precursor solution. High-quality superconducting layers were grown on LaAlO3 single-crystal substrates from these four nanocomposite precursor solutions in a single deposition process, without the need of a seed layer, yielding Jc of 4-5 MA/cm² at 77 K in self-field. The different YBCO microstructures produced by the four types of nanocrystals and the resulting microstrain of the films are compared and related with the magnetic-field and angular dependence of Jc. We demonstrate the BaHfO3-containing nanocomposite as the best-performing with a homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles with 7 nm in average diameter and a high density of stacking faults, which leads to some of the best superconducting properties ever achieved via low-fluorine CSD. The Jc exhibits a much smoother decay in applied magnetic fields and a much more isotropic behaviour for non-parallel magnetic fields, and the pinning force is increased by a factor of 3.5 at 77 K and 1 T with respect to the pristine film.

Hybrid solutions of triflouroacetate YBCO precursors and BZO nanoparticles were synthesized and deposited to yield superconducting YBCO–BZO nanocomposite films.

The regeneration of LB films of (trimethylsilyl)cellulose (TMSC) (1) to ultrathin films of cellulose (2) is monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Subsequent chemical derivatization of these regenerated cellulose films with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) (3) to give the corresponding cellulose trifluoroacetate (5) was proven and followed by XPS as a function of exposure time in order to study hydroxyl accessibility. The derivatization behavior of regenerated cellulose films is compared with literature data on bulk cellulose materials with varying degrees of crystallinity. In contrast to the latter, the functionalization kinetics of the regenerated cellulose films indicates a low hydroxyl accessibility in conjuction with a high degree of order in these films.

The formation of superconducting nanocomposites from preformed nanocrystals is still not well understood. Here, we examine the case of ZrO2 nanocrystals in a YBa2Cu3O7−x matrix. First we analyzed the preformed ZrO2 nanocrystals via atomic pair distribution function analysis and found that the nanocrystals have a distorted tetragonal crystal structure. Second, we investigated the influence of various surface ligands attached to the ZrO2 nanocrystals on the distribution of metal ions in the pyrolyzed matrix via secondary ion mass spectroscopy technique. The choice of stabilizing ligand is crucial in order to obtain good superconducting nanocomposite films with vortex pinning. Short, carboxylate based ligands lead to poor superconducting properties due to the inhomogeneity of metal content in the pyrolyzed matrix. Counter-intuitively, a phosphonate ligand with long chains does not disturb the growth of YBa2Cu3O7−x. Even more surprisingly, bisphosphonate polymeric ligands provide good colloidal stability in solution but do not prevent coagulation in the final film, resulting in poor pinning. These results thus shed light on the various stages of the superconducting nanocomposite formation.