Evidence for high stability against water corrosion of NdBa2Cu3O7±δ relative to YBa2Cu3O7−δ and EuBa2Cu3O7−δ

Abstract

While prior studies have revealed enhanced stability of Y0.6Ca0.4Ba1.6La0.4Cu3O7−δ relative to YBa2Cu3O7−δ, this stabilization was brought about only at the expense of lower transition temperatures (TC∼80 versus 92 K). Similar prior attempts to optimize simultaneously both superconductivity properties and chemical stability with substitution only at the rare-earth site in REBa2Cu3O7 (RE=Y, Eu, Gd, etc.) resulted in little alteration of the observed reactivity/processability characteristics. In this letter, the corrosion reactivity of REBa2Cu3O7 (RE=Y, Eu, Nd) and Y0.6Ca0.4Ba1.6La0.4Cu3O7−δ are examined. An unusually strong stabilization was noted for NdBa2Cu3O7±δ (TC,onset⩾92 K). This corrosion behavior for the RE=Nd phase is rationalized in terms of a structural model.