A comparative study of EDTA-gel derived BSCCO and Pb-BSCCO systems by thermoanalytical and X-ray diffraction techniques

Superconducting phases in the BSCCO and Pb-BSCCO systems have been produced by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) gel derived route using nitrates of metal salts. Thermal decomposition and formation of various phases of gel and calcined powder of both BSCCO and Pb-BSCCO have been investigated by thermoanalytical and XRD techniques. It has been observed that Pb-containing system shows high volume of high Tc phase as compared to Pb-free system at the same sintering temperature. Thermal behavior (TG) indicates that sample doped with Pb decomposed in a series of steps when compared with Pb-free sample, which decomposed in a single step. The effect of Pb is shown to lower the sintering temperature (845°C) of formation of high Tc phase (2223). However, in the Pb-free sample the high Tc phase produced at higher temperature (860°C).