| Abstract: | The role of silver for the superconducting properties of the Bi? Pb? Sr? Ca? Cu? O (2223) system have been investigated systematically. Samples with various concentrations of Ag were prepared by the matrix method. D.C. resistance results showed that Tc(0) varied between 100–109 K for various compositions of Ag. Jc measured at LNT from I–V data shows an increase with silver addition. Jc decreased from 90 Amp/cm2 at zero field to 16 Amp/cm2 at 100 Oe. The Tc(0) obtained form the susceptibility data agreed with those obtained from resistance measurements. X-ray diffraction results showed that the dominant phase in BPSCCO is the high-temperature (2223) phase and the same is improved in silver added BPSCCO samples. The scanning electron micrographs indicated that silver is precipated along the grain boundaries, separating the superconducting grains. These results have showed that silver addition does not destroy the superconductivity and at the same time enhances the critical current density. |
