Critical current in Ag/BPSCCO tapes using low purity materials

Silver-clad Bi_1·7Pb_0·4Sr_1·8Ca₂Cu_3·5O _x (BPSCCO) tapes have been fabricated using low purity (98–99%) starting materials and following the powder-in-tube technique. MaximumJ _c values of 6·14 × 10³ A·cm⁻² at 77 K and 1·4 × 10⁵ A·cm⁻² at 4·2 K have been obtained in tapes subjected to the process of intermediate rolling and sintering. The bulk superconducting material used for the tape-fabrication contains both 2223 and 2212 phases in the ratio 60:40. A pure phase material and the optimization of the sintering parameters are expected to yield much higherJ _c values at 77 K. It is possible that the copper-rich phase(s) and/or a small amount of iron impurity (60 ppm) present in CuO might be acting as flux pinning sites and could be responsible for highJ _c values.