Superconductors bismuthates

Among the high-temperature superconductors one finds various cuprates (i.e., ternary oxides of copper and barium) having a layered structure of the perovskite type, as well as more complicated oxides on the basis of copper oxide which also include oxides of yttrium, calcium, strontium, bismuth, thallium, and/or other metals. Today, all these oxide systems are studied closely by a variety of specialists, including physicists, chemists, physical chemists, and theoreticians attempting to elucidate the essence of this phenomenon. Studies of electrochemical aspects contribute markedly to progress in HTSCs. 

A continuous process based on hydrodynamic cavitation can be employed to prepare a wide variety of metal oxides in grain sizes of 1 -10 nm, such as iron oxide, bismuth molybdate, perovskites, platinum-loaded zeolite, and other ceramics and superconductors [170]. The method uses a microfluidiser for mechanically generating hydrodynamic cavitation and the internal pressure of the liquid media is elevated from ambient pressure to between 1000 to 25 000 psi. 

Preparation of Bismuth- and Thallium-Based Cuprate Superconductors... 

A number of chemical reviews of cuprate superconductors have included the bismuth and thallium families (11)-(14). Reviews focussing on the structural chemistry of these two series are also available (15),(16). On the thallium cuprates, an overview of structural studies has appeared (17), and a detailed review of... 

The layer-type structures and chemical nature of the constituents of the bismuth and thallium-based cuprate superconductors - notably the lone-pair stereochemistry of Bis+, variable valence of copper, and considerable exchange among some of the cation sites - combine to make structural non-ideality, nonstoichiometry, and phase intergrowth the rule rather that the exception in these families of materials. These features, as well as the probable metastability of the phases (and possibly all high-temperature oxide superconductors), also contribute to the difficulties typically encountered in preparing single-phase samples with reproducible properties and compositions. 

This chapter presents an overview of our understanding of phase relationships and a summary of synthetic techniques for the synthesis of phase-pure superconducting samples in the bismuth-and thallium-based families of high Tc cuprate superconductors. 

The volatility of the reactants is a concern in some solid state syntheses. This may be a slight problem in bismuth cuprates synthesized at high temperatures because Bi2Os has an appreciable vapor pressure at these temperatures (i.e. 900-950°C) however, chemical analyses of samples of bismuth-based superconductors before and after reactions at temperatures up to 900°C indicate no detectable loss of bismuth. This problem is much more severe in the case of thallium chemistry. 

The following sections will outline specific methods for the synthesis of Bi- and Tl-based cuprate superconductors. Because the synthetic methods and historical evolution of the compounds are different, the bismuth and thallium families are described separately. 

A review of the synthetic methods used to prepare the bismuth and thallium families of cuprate superconductors has been presented. An overview of our current knowledge of phase relationships in the bismuth systems is also given such studies of... 

While this chapter has focussed on synthesis of polycrystalline samples, other aspects of the bismuth and thallium cuprate superconductors are discussed elsewhere. An introduction to synthesis and crystal growth is given in Chapter 5, and a review of the crystal chemistry of the two families is presented in Chapter... 

The Chemistry of High Tc in the Bismuth Based Oxide Superconductors BaPbi.xBix03 and Bai xKxBi03... 

Bismuth Based Oxide Superconductors BaPbj.jjB Og and Ba1.xKxBi03 349... 

Bismuth Based Oxide Superconductors BaPbj B Oj and Ba1.xKxBi03 351... 

Bismuth Based Oxide Superconductors BaPbl xBix03 and Ba1.xKxBi03 353... 

Bismuth Based Oxide Superconductors BaPb1.xBix03 and Ba1.xKxBi03 355... 

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