Perovskites mixed copper complexes

A common feature of all the new ceramic superconductors is that they are cuprates, that is, they are complex copper oxides. The structure of YBCO is given in Fig. 19.3, which also shows that it is related to the perovskite structure (Fig. 4.17). Synthesis of YBCO is remarkably easy appropriate amounts of dry yttrium oxide (Y203), copper oxide (CuO), and barium carbonate (BaC03) are ground together into a fine, well-mixed... 

Bismuth oxide forms a number of complex mixed-metal phases with the divalent metal oxides of calcium, strontium, barium, lead, and cadmium, and these show a wide variety in composition. With transition metal oxides, mixed-metal oxide phases have been observed which are based upon a Perovskite-type lattice (10) containing layers of Bi202. It is notable that the high Tc superconducting materials which include bismuth also have this Perovskite-type of lattice with layers of copper oxide interleaved with bismuth oxide layers. 

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