High Efficient Synthesis of Iron-based Superconductors

We have performed systematic investigations aimed at high efficient synthesis of the 1111 family iron-based superconductors. By using meta-stable reactive starting materials of LnAs and FeO, assisted by mechanical alloying and fast heating, high purity samples with T-c(onset) greater than 50K can be made with sintering temperatures between 1433K-1073K, and sintering time from 20 min to 40 h. High purity phase with sintering temperature as low as 973K was demonstrated successfully although T-c(onset) fall below 50K and weak grain boundary suppressed greatly the zero resistance temperature. Ultra fast microwave sintering brings the sintering time further down to 5 min. Samples prepared by the above high efficient methods typically posses submicron grain and very high upper critical field, indicating very high pinning power. Besides offering cost advantages, the developed methods may play important roles in the exploit of novel superconductors. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editors.