Synthesis and characterization of BaZrO3-doped YBa2Cu3O7-delta microtapes with improved critical current densities

We have recently demonstrated that through a sal-gel route, superconductor crystallization in the presence of simple biopolymers results in a drastic alteration of morphology, producing technologically useful nanowires and porous architectures. Morphological control is of the utmost importance to bulk high-temperature superconductors, as grain boundaries act as weak links in limiting the achievable critical current density (J(c)). Here we show that, as expected, the incorporation of nanoparticulate barium zirconate (BaZrO3) species into a biopolymer-mediated synthetic protocol for YBa2Cu3O7-delta (Y123) leads to a significantly improved in-field J(c), compared to that observed in a sample without BaZrO3 additions. To ameliorate degradation of the BaZrO3 species in this protocol, we demonstrate that by drawing the precursor sol into fibers, a microtape architecture is able to be formed, leading to lengthy, anisotropic structures having enhanced J(c) through the retention of the BaZrO3 species. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.