Investigation of Microstructural Features, Phase Composition, and Magnetic Characteristics of YBCO-Based Composites and Additives of CuO Non-Superconducting Component Prepared in Low-Pressure Arc Discharge Plasma
A method making it possible to form HTS ceramics of non-superconducting coating consisting of self-organizing CuO crystals, whose sizes are less than the coherence length, i.e., within several tens of nanometers, has been developed. It has been shown that the combination of self-organizing structures in the form of whiskers and nanoparticles which arise as a result of combined sintering of YBa2Cu3O(7–x) powders and electric arc CuO nanopowders results in a significant increase in the current density and appearance of peak effect at high magnetic fields. Very high current density arises from the complex vortex pinning, where whisker defects provide high pinning energy and nanoparticles suppress flux creep. The morphology of such structures can be controlled by a simple change in the concentration of nanodisperse additives. It has been shown that 20 wt % of CuO additive is optimal.