Synthesis and characterization of Pr substituted Gd-123 high-Tc superconductors

Abstract

High T c superconducting materials with chemical formula Gd 1-x Pr x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ , where x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 were prepared by ceramic route. XRD studies confirm the orthorhombic pervoskite structure. Electrical resistivity measurement shows that T c decreases with increasing Pr concentration. Copper valency and oxygen content decreasing with increasing Pr content. Value of n(CuO 2 ) decreases with increasing x and oxygen deficiency (δ) has a linear dependence with (2x+δ). SQUID investigation reveals that Bohr magneton number and Curie constant are decreasing with increasing Pr concentration. Annihilation of superconductivity may be owing to reduction in CuO 2 charge carriers or magnetic pair breaking. Keywords: Gd-123 HTSC, oxygen content, electrical resistivity, Curie-Weiss law. Resumo Materiais supercondutores de alta temperatura crítica com fórmula química Gd