Optimizing Nanocomposites through Nanocrystal Surface Chemistry: Superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O₇ Thin Films via Low-Fluorine Metal Organic Deposition and Preformed Metal Oxide Nanocrystals

Abstract

Achieving low cost, safe, reproducible, and high performance superconducting thin films of YBa2Cu3O7−δ is essential to bring this material to the energy market. Here, we report on the chemical solution deposition of YBa2Cu3O7−δ nanocomposites from environmentally benign precursors with a low fluorine content. Preformed ZrO2 nanocrystals (3.5 nm) were stabilized in a methanolic precursor solution via two strategies: charge stabilization and steric stabilization. Counterintuitively, charge stabilization did not result in high quality superconducting layers, while the steric stabilization resulted in highly reproducible nanocomposite thin films with a self-field Jc of 4–5 MA cm–2 (77 K) and a much smaller decay of Jc with magnetic field compared to YBa2Cu3O7−δ without nanocrystals. In addition, these nanocomposite films show a strong pinning force enhancement and a reduced Jc anisotropy compared to undoped YBa2Cu3O7−δ films. Given the relationship between the nanocrystal surface chemistry and final nanocomposite performance, we expect these results to be also relevant for other nanocomposite research.