Thermal Decompositions of (RE)Ba2Cu3O6 (RE=Y,Nd, Er)

Thermogravimetric in situ measurements of oxygen loss from (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O₆ samples (RE=Y, Nd, Er) heated isothermally in a relatively high dynamic vacuum were made with a Cahn RG electrobalance. Single-phase orthorhombic samples of composition (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_7-x (highest oxygen content) were synthesized from stoichiometric (1:2:3) mixtures of high-purity (RE)₂O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO. The original 1:2:3 mixture was prepared by the two-stage procedure described earlier. The crystal structure of the sample in the original orthorhombic phase was controlled by the X-ray powder method (CuKα radiation) using a Stadi P Stoe diffractometer with a position-sensitive detector. The decomposition curves are described by the sum of exponential terms corresponding to rapid and slow first-order processes in which differently sized grains of the powder samples are involved. The activation energies are estimated from appropriate Arrhenius plots. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Existence of the homologous series of Y n Ba m Cu m + n O y (m = 2, 3, 5; n = 1, 2) oxides with the tetragonal and orthorhombic structures of YBa2Cu3O6 + δ

The phase composition of Y _x Ba_1?x CuO _y (x = 0.29?0.40) samples annealed in air (at 930?C990°C) and in an oxygen atmosphere (450?C800°C, P(O₂) = 101 kPa) was studied by X-ray powder diffraction, chemical analysis, electron diffraction, and elemental analysis in a transmission electron microscope. A considerable cation nonstoichiometry was discovered in particles having the tetragonal and orthorhombic structures of YBa₂Cu₃O_{6 + ??}. The variation range of particle compositions comprises matrix oxides of the Ba _m Cu _{m + n} O _y series with (Ba: Cu) 3: 5, 5: 8, 2: 3, and 5: 7, which in the presence of yttrium form the Y _n Ba _m Cu _{m + n} O _y series. Tetragonal oxides Y₂Ba₃Cu₅O _y (235), Y₃Ba₅Cu₈O _y (358), YBa₂Cu₃O _y (123), and Y₂Ba₅Cu₇O _y (257) are formed at the primary synthesis step in air and are preserved in an orthorhombic structure during short-term (1 h) oxygen annealing. Most particles of the 3: 5 and 5: 8 oxides are undersaturated with yttrium relative to the stoichiometry of the Y _n Ba _m Cu _{m + n} O _y series, those of the 2: 3 oxide correspond to this stoichiometry, and those of the 5: 7 oxide are supersaturated with yttrium over the stoichiometry. A trend is observed for the fractions of these oxides to change during long-term (5?C51 h) annealing in an oxygen atmosphere at 450°C and to the alternation of the dominant role of one of the four phases with the superconducting transition temperature T _c = 82, 85, 86, and 91 K. Each orthorhombic oxide undergoes structural transformations during oxygen annealing with a change in T _c. The coexistence of these oxides in the form of nanometer-sized domains does not allow their individual superstructures to be recognized.     

Oxygen reduction mechanism and performance of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−d as a cathode material in a high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell

The high-Tc Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductor with oxygen ion vacancies was employed as the cathode for a high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The cathodic current-overpotential characteristics were studied in the temperature range from 500 to 800 °C and the oxygen pressure range from 10⁻⁴ to 0.21 atm. The delocalization of the triple-phase boundary and the oxygen reduction mechanism were identified. The delocalized triple-phase boundary of Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ improves the cathodic polarization in SOFCs. By using a mathematical simulation and a particular experimental design, the oxygen adsorption step in the oxygen reduction process was demonstrated to be rate limiting. A layer of strong oxygen-adsorption catalyst such as Pt or Ag coated on the Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ electrode was found to be able to largely enhance the activity of oxygen reduction by improving the ability of oxygen to be adsorbed on the electrode surface. Received: 28 October 1997 / Accepted: 16 January 1998     

Thermodynamic and Pseudo Binary Phase Diagram of REBa2Cu3O7-x-"Ba2Cu5O7" systems

In this work the effect of oxygen pressure on the primary crystallisation fields for REBa₂Cu₃O_7-x(RE=Nd, Sm, and Eu) has been studied. A DTA apparatus has been modified in order to carry out analyses under gas pressure, so the trend of temperatures of peritectic decomposition of the REBa₂Cu₃O_7-xphases and of the eutectic equilibrium involving REBa₂Cu₃O_7-x phases and flux mixture "Ba₂Cu₅O₇" have been studied at oxygen pressures of 0.21, 1, and 10 atm. This showed that primary crystallisation fields spread at the increase of the oxygen pressure and allowed us to calculate the enthalpies of reactions of REBa₂Cu₃O_7-xphases too. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Preparation of Y2Ba4Cu7O15-δ Superconductor without High Oxygen Pressure

The synthesis of bulk Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ superconductor at atmospheric oxygen pressure via solid state sintering is reported. Temperature ranging from 860 to 890 °C as well as time interval over 2 to 15 days were used to investigate the formation of the Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase. A time-temperature profile characterizing the conditions for the preparation of Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase suggests the optimal condition to be sintering at 890 °C for over 10 days. Detailed results of X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, iodometric titration and magnetization measurements are described.     

Estimation of melting (decomposition) heat of some compounds in the Y−Ba−Cu−O system

A thermodynamical method for the estimation of decomposition heat in a crystal state, incongrous and congruous melting of compounds with the use of temperature dependencies of total entropies of compounds was suggested. Entropies and heats of phase transformation of YBa₂Cu₃O₆, YBa₂Cu₃O₇, YBa₂Cu_3.5O_7.5, YBa₂Cu₄O₈, YBa₂Cu₅O₉, YBa₄Cu₃O_8.5, Y₂BaO₄, Y₂Ba₂O₅, Y₂Ba₄O₇, Y₄Ba₃O₉, YCuO₂, Y₂Cu₂O₅, Y₂BaCu₂O₅, Ba₂CuO₃, BaCuO₂, BaCu₂O₂, Ba₃Cu₅O₈ were calculated. Data, obtained by the authors earlier, are discussed.     

Estimation of average heat capacities of condensed phase transformation products in the Y−Ba−Cu−O system

A method of calculation of average heat capacities of phase transformation products of complex oxides is suggested. The method takes into account the physical state of products and the increase in the heat capacities of products due to the change of entropy at a phase transformation. Average heat capacities of products formed in a congruous melting of compounds (YCuO₂ and Y₄Ba₃O₉), in an incongruous melting of compounds (Y₂Cu₂O₅, BaCuO₂, BaCu₂O₂, Y₂BaCuO₅, YBa₂Cu₃O₇, YBa₂Cu₃O₆) and in a decomposition in a crystalline state of compounds (Y₂BaO₄, Y₂Ba₂O₅, Y₂Ba₄O₇, Ba₂CuO₃, Ba₃Cu₅O₈, YBa₂Cu_3.5O_7.5, YBa₂Cu₄O₈, YBa₂Cu₅O₉) was estimated by using three methods.     

Characterization of physico-chemical properties of the high-temperature superconductor and LaCoO3surfaces

This paper presents possible applications of thermal analysis and sorptomatic methods to study physico-chemical properties of the high-T _csuperconductor Y₁B_a2Cu₃O_7-x and perovskite LaCoO₃. It is shown that both Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7-x and perovskite phase are highly sensitive to water vapour. Mechanism of adsorption of water on LaCoO₃depends largely on time activation (t _act). When the time of water vapour saturation was 0<t _act<180 s, physisorption process was observed. In the case of longer times water vapour action, t _act>180 s, chemical decomposition was observed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermogravimetric study of the nonstoichiometric regions in the Y-Ba-Cu-O system

The paper presents the results of studies on thermal reduction and oxidation of the nonstoichiometric phases from the Y-Ba-Cu-O in air.The thermogravimetric (TG, DTA) experiments were performed in air in order to establish the ranges of stoichiometry and temperature of oxidation and reduction of YBa₂Cu₃O_x, YBa₄Cu₃O_x, YBa₅Cu₂O_x and Y₃Ba₈CusO_x.It has been found, that at 950°C in air there are four oxygen deficient ternary cuprates: YBa₂Cu₃O_6.02, YBa₄Cu₃O_8.01, YBa₅Cu₂O_8.35, Y₃Ba₈Cu₅O_16.45 and stoichiometric Y₂BaCuO₅. When these nonstoichiometric cuprates are cooled slowly to room temperature in air they oxidize to the following compositions: YBa₂Cu₃O_6.98, YBa₄Cu₃O_8.97, Y₃Ba₈Cu₅O₁₈ and YBa₅Cu₂O_8.97.This work has been supported by the CPBR 6.6.64 research programme.     

High-Tc superconductivity in the ErBaCuO and related systems

ErBa₂Cu₃O₇ and Er_0.5Y_0.5Ba₂Cu₃O₇ are both high-T_c superconductors attaining zero resistance above 80 K. Preliminary studies indicate that Yb_1−xY_xBa₂Cu₃O₇ also exhibits zero resistance above 77 K.     

Preparation of YBa2Cu3O y crystals by electrolysis of YO1.5-BaO-CuO x melts

Mass transfer during the electrolysis of melts of Y_0.02Ba_0.30Cu_0.70O _y and Y_0.02Ba_0.25Cu_0.75O _y samples was studied at 950°C (for 0.5 h) and currents of 5–1050 mA. YBa₂Cu₃O_{6 + δ} (123) tetragonal oxide crystal boules were grown, and their cationic composition and structure were studied by X-ray powder diffraction and by electron diffraction and elemental analysis in a transmission electron microscope (ED/TEM and EA/TEM). The 123 oxide was found to have cationic off-stoichiometry and to have a domain structure with domain sizes of 20–50 Å. Magnetic susceptibility versus temperature curves measured in the crystals after oxygen annealing (450°C, 1 h) feature four kinks, which indicate the occurrence of four superconducting phases with T _c = 45, 52, 75, and 86 K. Electrolysis byproducts are platinum-containing oxides Ba₉Pt₄Cu₃O _y and Ba₅₀Pt₁₅Y₁₆Al₁₃Cu₇O _y unknown hitherto; we report structure data for them.     

Electronic structure and properties of isolectronically substituted compounds Y1Ba2−m M m Cu3O7 and Y1Ba2−m M m Cu4O8 (M=Be,Mg, Ca,Sr, Ba,Ra)

According to cluster calculations, the electronic structures of compounds based on Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O₇ and Y₁Ba₂Cu₄O₈ with isoelectronically substituted barium have some qualitative distinctions. These compounds behave differently upon barium substitution by other elements due to differences in the character of their highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals. Substitution of barium by radium is expected to lead to an increase in oxygen stability without a significant decrease in the critical temperature of superconduction transition T_s. In order to raise T_s, it is of interest to study the systems YBa_2−m(Be or Mg)_mCu₃O_x and YBa_2−m(Ca, Sr)_mCu₃O_x. On partial substitution of barium by calcium in YBa₂Cu₄O₈, the mechanism of T_s elevation may involve contraction of the forbidden band due to oxygen sublattice distortions in the vicinity of Ba centers. D. I. Mendeleev Russian Chemical Engineering University, Novomoskovsk Branch. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 24–31, March–April, 1994. Translated by O. Kharlamova     

Reactions between YBa2Cu3O7−δ and La2O3 and SrCO3

Solid state reactions at 925°C between the high-T _c ceramic superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ and La₂O₃ and SrCO₃, respectively, mixed in various molar ratiosr=MeO_n/YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ, were studied using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The reaction between YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ and La₂O₃ yielded (La_1?xBa_x)₂CuO_4?δ, withx≈0.075?0.10. La_2?xBa_1+xCu₂O_6?δ, withx≈0.2?0.25 and La-doped (Y_1?xLa_x)₂BaCuO₅, withx≈0.10?0.15. Forr=3.0, Y-doped La₂BaCuO₅ resulted also. The reaction between YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ and SrCO₃ yielded (Sr_1?zBa_z)₂CuO₃, withz≈0.1, Y₂(Ba_1?zSr_z)CuO₅, withz=0.1?0.15, and a nonsuperconducting compound with an approximate composition of Y(Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)₅Cu_3.5O_10±δ. At values ofr≤2.0, unsubstituted YBa₂Cu₃O_7?delta was found in the reaction products.     

Ba2Cu3O5+δ as an intermediate phase during the synthesis of YBa2Cu4O8

We propose a reaction model for the synthesis of YBa₂Cu₄O₈ under normal pressure conditions, which contains 4 partial reaction steps. In a first step bariumnitrate and copperoxide react to Ba₂Cu₃O_5+δ. This substance will be formed for each mixtures Ba:Cu=2∶3...3∶2. The following two partial reaction steps are connected to Ba₂Cu₃O_5+δ, which reacts with Y₂O₃ and CuO to YBa₂Cu₄O₈ or decomposes to BaCuO₂ and CuO. In a last step parts of BaCuO₂ reacts with Y₂O₃ and CuO to YBa₂Cu₄O₈.     

The decomposition of the oxalate precursor and the stability and reduction of the YBa2Cu4O8 superconductor studied by TG coupled with FTIR and by XRD

The 124 superconductor YBa₂Cu₄O₈ was prepared from the oxalate precursor Y₂(C₂O₄)₃. ·4BaC₂O₄·8CuC₂O₄·xH₂O at one atmosphere oxygen pressure. In O₂ the precursor decomposes in one step at 300°C and more gradually (300°–600°C) in Ar. The stability of the superconductor is strongly dependent on the gas atmosphere: in O₂ and in air there is no significant weight change as long as the temperature does not exceed 800°C, whereas in a 1% O₂-99%N₂ mixture decomposition starts at about 670°C with the formation of CuO and YBa₂Cu₃O_x withx<7. The reduction of YBa₂Cu₄O₈ in a 5% H₂-95% Ar mixture takes place in at least four major steps with formation of products such as Y₂O₃, BaO, Cu₂O, Cu, BaY₂O₄ and Ba₄Y₂O₇.     

Zur Kristallstruktur von Ba3In2O6

About the Crystal Structure of Ba₃In₂O₆ Single crystals of Ba₃In₂O₆ could be prepared by recrystallization of a flux and by solid state reaction in closed platinium tubes, respectively. Ba₃In₂O₆ crystallizes with tetragonal symmetry (space group 14/mmm, a = 4.1868; c = 21.7041 Å, Z = 2). Single crystal X-ray work lead to a crystal structure like La_2-xSr_1+xCu₂O_6-δ therefor Ba₃In₂O₆ is a modified member of the Sr₃Ti₂O₇-Type. The coordinations of Ba²⁺ and In³⁺ are described and the relations to the Sr₃Ti₂O₇-type are discussed.     

Techniques for obtaining far infrared transmission spectra of high Tc,superconductors and related synthetic precursors

The far infrared (FT-IR) spectra of Y₂O₃, CuO, BaO₂, YBa₂Cu₃O_7−σ and Tl₂Ca₂Ba₂Cu₃O₁₀ have been recorded in the range of 350-60 cm⁻¹. A variety of sample handling techniques have been utilized which include dispersion of the samples in nujol and fluorolube. Additionally, we present preliminary results of a technique of preparing thin films (1–20 μm thick) of these materials. These films do not require a substrate but are dispersed in a polyethylene matrix fused between two polyethylene plates. Such films are suitable for optical applications.     

Effect of carbonate incorporation on the structural and superconducting properties of the double chain compound Y2Ba4Cu7O15−x

Structural investigations on powder samples of Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15–x with different carbonate content have been performed. Powder x-ray Rietveld refinements showed the remarkable influence of carbonate incorporation on the lattice parameters. Most important is the decrease of T_c with increasing carbonate content. We assign these effects to an incorporation of the carbonate ion into the crystal lattice, copper vacancies at the Cu(1) position and a possible misorientation of the copper oxygen single chains. No change of the structure (e. g. superstructure) could be found.     

Thermal analysis of Y1−xCaxBa2Cu3O7−y

TG and DTA analysis of Y_1?xCa_xBa₂Cu₃O_7?y suggests that the stability of the 123 phase increases with increasing Ca contents. The O(1) in the Cu(1)-O chain is unstable but O(2) and O(3) in Cu(2)-O planes are very stable. There are hardly any oxygen vacancies in the Cu(2)-O plane. The replacement of Y by Ca does not make oxygen vacancies in Cu(2)-O planes but leads to an increase in the oxidation number of copper in Cu(2)-O planes.     

Über Oxocuprate. XI. Zur Kenntnis von Ba3Cu2O4Cl2

On Osocuprates. XI. Ba₃Cu₂O₄Cl₂ A new oxohalogenocuprat, Ba₃Cu₂O₄Cl₂ mas prepared and investigated by X-ray single crystal methods. The hitherto unknown compound has orthorhombic symmetry (Space group: D_2h⁵—Pmma; a = 6.653, b = 6.000, c = 10.563 Å). It shows angled chains of O^2?-squares around Cu²⁺. One of the Cu²⁺ positions is completed by Cl^minus; to a tetragonal pyramid. The coordination polyhedrals of Ba_I–III and the connection with the Cu/O-chains are described and discussed.