Formation of Hot Zone By The Application of An Electric Field To Superconducting Bi_{1.6}Pb_{0.4}Sr_2Ca_3Cu_4O_x (2234) Rod

Authors: E. YANMAZ

Abstract: The formation of hot zone by electric field on superconducting Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) rods is described. Bulk samples with a nominal composition of Bi_{1.6}Pb_{0.4}Sr_2Ca_3Cu_4O_x (2234) were prepared as rods by a melt casting process. An electrical field was applied to the BSCCO rods and this current caused the resistance of the rod to fall and after a few minutes the initial voltage fell while the current was increased to 2.5A. Under certain conditions, a well-defined hot zone formed at the positive electrode, travelled along the rod and eventually disappeared on reaching the negative electrode. A small increase in the applied current when the zone approached the negative electrode produced another zone at the positive electrode which then exhibited similar behaviour to the first. Reversing the polarity caused the zone to travel in the opposite direction. The rods were characterized by means of microstructural and physical property studies. The results of this metod indicates a possible alternative processing route for crystallization of the glassy BSCCO rods and producing superconducting phase.

Keywords:

Full Text: PDF