Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties of Nd‐, Sm‐, Eu‐Based Cuprate High‐Temperature Superconductors

The aim of the research is to create new high‐temperature superconductors (HTS) NdBa2Cu3O7−x, SmBa2Cu3O7−x, EuBa2Cu3O7−x, and Nd1/3Sm1/3Eu1/3Ba2Cu3O7−x based on light rare earth (LRE) metals. The superconducting materials are investigated for microstructural and physicochemical properties. The paper describes the preparation process of substrate powders and the granulation results of the raw material mixtures before the first calcination, as well as after the first and the second calcination. The granulation analysis of the raw materials are performed using a low‐angle laser light scattering (LALLS) method. Qualitative and quantitative phase analysis of the superconducting materials after the first and the second calcination and after annealing in oxygen atmosphere have been performed by X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) technique. A detailed structural investigations mainly shows the orthorhombic phase with small amounts of BaCuO2 and CuO compounds detected in all samples. A microstructural analysis of materials are carried out by using Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The magnetic properties of the superconducting materials are characterized by AC magnetic susceptibility as a function of temperature. The critical current densities at liquid nitrogen temperatures were also measured.