Influence of Pb concentration on microstructural and superconducting properties of BSCCO superconductors

Abstract

The microstructure and superconducting properties of high-Tc superconducting materials Bi2-xPbxSr2Ca2Cu3O10+y with variable amounts of lead; (x=0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) have been studied. Nearly single-phase samples were prepared for x=0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. There is some optimal concentration of Pb around x=0.3 for which the electrical resistivity is minimal, the transport critical current density Jc is maximal and the magnetization decreases more quickly with decreasing temperature.