Oxygen non-stoichiometry and diffusion in RBA2CU3O6+x (R=Y, Gd, Ho) investigated by TG method

By means of thermogravimetry (TG) and chemical analysis equilibrium dependencies of oxygen content in GdBa₂Cu₃O_6+x and HoBa₂Cu₃O_6+x on temperature and were studied. It is found that at equal temperature and the oxygen content in RBa₂Cu₃O_6+x increased in order Ho-Y-Gd.On the basis of Fick 2nd law mathematical procedures to determine diffusion coefficients of oxygen from TG data were developed. The oxygen diffusion coefficients in RBa₂Cu₃O_6+x (R=Y, Gd, Ho) were evaluated in a wide temperature (300–900°C) range (at =0.21 bar). The developed model rather satisfactory decribes oxygen diffusion processes in phases under investigation. It is found that for all studied compounds oxygen diffusion in orthorhombic phase happened faster than in tetragonal one. The values of diffusion coefficients increase in order Ho-Y-Gd with increasing of ionic radius of the rare earth element.