Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effect of silver addition on the microstructure of YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][ital x]]

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Research; (United States)
; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015-3195 (United States)
The variation of grain morphology in silver-doped YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][ital x]] was investigated as a function of sintering temperature, atmosphere, and amount of Ag addition. In the presence of the liquid phase formed at 925 [degree]C for undoped samples, and at 910 [degree]C for silver-doped samples, the grain shape and size changed drastically from small and nearly equiaxed to large and elongated. The anisotropy in the grain shape was sensitive to both the silver content and the atmosphere. On the other hand, while the grain size was generally insensitive to the atmosphere, it decreased as the silver content increased. The silver phase, if sufficiently large, would block the grain growth in the matrix. The amount of silver for effective blocking was predicted from a microstructural model, and the prediction was in agreement with experimental results.
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
7046464
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research; (United States) Vol. 9:6; ISSN JMREEE; ISSN 0884-2914
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English