Abstract
In this work, we present an extremely low-temperature (600 °C) liquid-phase synthesis method using KOH as flux to grow YBCO powder and epitaxial films. Oxides utilize solution medium KOH in which target materials are generated by cation’s physical and chemical transformations. Y123 and Y124 films could be synthesized by controlling configuration which is related to oxygen diffusion. Later, the process and mechanism of YBCO growth will be elucidated by DSC. In the presence of KOH, the decarboxylation of BaCO3 is kinetically favored with the formation of Ba (OH)2 at the first step, the same as Y2O3 and CuO. Above 350 °C, the formation of Y2Cu2O5 will take precedence over Ba2Cu3O5 due to the weak solubility of Y3+ and Cu2+ in molten KOH. With temperature increasing, liquid Ba(OH)2 begins to dehydrate, and Ba2+ subsequently reacts with Y3+ and Cu2+ to precipitate YBCO in the last step. Molten KOH provides a liquid chemical environment, which allows the synthesis of YBCO at low temperature. This low-temperature method is applicable to epitaxial superconductor and superconducting joint.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Feighan, J.P.F., Kursumovic, A., MacManus-Driscoll, J.L.: Materials design for artificial pinning centres in superconductor PLD coated conductors. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 30(12), 123001 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/aa90d1
Obradors, X., Puig, T., Ricart, S., Coll, M., Gazquez, J., Palau, A., Granados, X.: Growth, nanostructure and vortex pinning in superconducting YBa2Cu3O7thin films based on trifluoroacetate solutions. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 25(12), 123001–123026 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/25/12/123001
Liang, R., Bonn, D.A., Hardy, W.N.: Growth of YBCO single crystals by the self-flux technique. Philos. Mag. 92(19–21), 2563–2581 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/14786435.2012.669065
Pathak, L.C., Mishra, S.K.: A review on the synthesis of Y–Ba–Cu-oxide powder. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 18(9), R67–R89 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/18/9/r01
Sunshine, S.A., Siegrist, T., Schneemeyer, L.F.: Single crystal growth of cuprates from hydroxide fluxes. J. Mater. Res. 12(5), 1210–1213 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.1997.0170
Coppa, N., Kebede, A., Schwegler, J.W., Perez, I., Salomon, R.E., Myer, G.H., Crow, J.E.: Preparation of YBa2Cu3O7−x using barium hydroxide flux. J. Mater. Res. 5(12), 2755–2758 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.1990.2755
Yamada, Y., Funaki, S., Nakayama, F.: Phase control and growth of Y123 and Y124 crystals below 600°C by molten KOH flux. Phys. C Supercond. Appl. 512(1), 28–31 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physc.2015.02.008
Sun, G.L., Song, Y.T., Lin, C.T.: Investigation of YBa2Cu4O8 single crystal growth by KOH flux. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 21(12), 125001–125009 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/21/12/125001
Sandford, D., Marquez, L.N., Stacy, A.M.: Precipitation of superconducting, single phase EuBa2Cu4O8 from molten hydroxide at 475 °C. Appl. Phys. Lett. 67(3), 422–423 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.114619
Gemmill, W.R., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Two new complex lanthanide-containing oxides of ruthenium. Inorg. Chem. 46(1), 2132–2138 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.200723029
Gemmill, W.R., Smith, M.D., Mozharivsky, Y.A., Gordon, M.J., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth, structural transitions, and magnetic properties of the fluorite-related osmates: Sm3OsO7,Eu3OsO7, and Gd3OsO7. Inorg. Chem. 44(1), 7047–7055 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.200550005
Gemmill, W.R., Smith, M.D., Prozorov, R., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth and magnetic properties of lanthanide-containing osmium double perovskites. Inorg. Chem. 44(1), 2639–2646 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.200525027
Gemmill, W.R., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth, observation, and characterization of the low temperature structure of the fluorite-related ruthenates: Sm3RuO7 and Eu3RuO7. Inorg. Chem. 43(1), 4254–4261 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.200437008
Wang, H., Yang, J., Dong, C., Mao, Q., Du, J., Fang, M.: Crystal growth and characterization of the quasi-one-dimensional compound BaCoO3. J. Cryst. Growth. 430, 52–54 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2015.08.010
Thangavel, R., Sabarinathan, V., Ramasamy, S., Kumar, J.: Investigations on the growth of zinc oxide crystals from molten hydrous KOH solution and on the impedance analysis of zinc oxide crystals. Mater. Lett. 61(19–20), 4090–4093 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2007.01.025
Tang, X., He, J., Aaron, K., Abbott, E., Kolis, J.K., Tritt, T.M.: Single-crystal growth of NaxCo2O4 via a novel low temperature flux method. J. Cryst. Growth. 310(3), 665–670 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2007.11.013
Stitzer, K.E., Gemmill, W.R., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth of a novel oxygen-deficient layered perovskite: Ba7Li3Ru4O20. J. Solid State Chem. 175(1), 39–45 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-4596(03)00112-9
Reisner, B.A., Stacy, A.M.: Sr3ARhO6 (A = Li, Na): crystallization of a rhodium(V) oxide from molten hydroxide. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120(1), 9682–9683 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja974231q
Smith III, S.J.M., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth and structural characterization of a new series of rare earth palladates, LnNaPd6O8 (Ln = Tb - Lu, Y). Crystal Growth Des. 8(2), 494–500 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1021/cg070448c
Macquart, R.B., Gemmill, W.R., Davis, M.J., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Single-crystal structure of the 2H-related perovskites. Inorg. Chem. 45(1), 4391–4395 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.200633004
Smallwood, P.L., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Flux synthesis of alkaline earth palladates. J. Crystal Growth. 216(1), 299–303 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0248(00)00432-2
Mugavero, S.J., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: Crystal growth and magnetic properties of the new iridates Ln1−xNa1+xIrO4 (Ln=Gd–Er, Y; x=0.04–0.25). Solid State Sci. 9(7), 555–563 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2007.03.006
Mugavero, S.J., Smith, M.D., zur Loye, H.-C.: The crystal growth and magnetic properties of Ln2LiIrO6 (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu). J. Solid State Chem. 178(1), 200–206 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2004.10.033
Liu, X., Fechler, N., Antonietti, M.: Salt melt synthesis of ceramics, semiconductors and carbon nanostructures. Chem. Soc. Rev. 42(21), 8237–8265 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1039/c3cs60159e
Changkang, C.: Phase diagram and its application to the crystal growth of high Tc oxide superconductor. Prog. Crystal Growth Charact. 36, 1–97 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8974(98)00008-4
Song, Y.T., Peng, J.B., Wang, X., Sun, G.L., Lin, C.T.: Ambient-condition growth of superconducting YBa2Cu4O8 single crystals using KOH flux. J. Cryst. Growth. 300(2), 263–266 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.11.076
Nagira, Y., Hara, T., Yamada, Y., Kuroda, K., Kubo, S.: Synthesis of superconductor REBa2Cu4O8 phase by molten hydroxide method. Trans. Mater. Res. Soc. Jpn. 35(5), 11–13 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phpro.2012.03.466
Yamada, Y., Nagira, Y., Hara, T., Kuroda, K., Nishigori, S., Kubo, S.: Synthesis using molten KOH and properties of rare earth substituted REBa2Cu4O8 phases. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 234(1), 012050–012056 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/234/1/012050
Yamada, Y., Funaki, S., Nakayama, F., Okunishi, R., Miyachi, Y.: Liquid phase growth of YBa2Cu3O7-x at low temperatures using KOH flux. Phys. Procedia. 58(5), 50–53 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phpro.2014.09.013
Funaki, S., Yamada, Y., Okunishi, R., Miyachi, Y.: Low temperature liquid phase epitaxy of YBa2Cu3Oy films by the molten KOH method. Extended Abstracts of the 2015 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials. 8(25), 318–319 (2015). https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.55.04EJ13
Vermeir, P., Cardinael, I., Schaubroeck, J., Verbeken, K., Backer, M., Lommens, P., Knaepen, W., D’Haen, J., De Buysser, K., Van Driessche, I.: Elucidation of the mechanism in fluorine-free prepared YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) coatings. Inorg. Chem. 49(10), 4471–4477 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1021/ic9021799
Yang, P., Yang, W., Zhang, L., Chen, L.: Novel configurations for the fabrication of high quality REBCO bulk superconductors by a modified RE+011 top-seeded infiltration and growth process. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 31(8), 085005–085013 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/aacbec
Wang, M., Ma, J., Wang, X., Hu, C., Yang, W.: A low cost fabrication technique for the growth of single-domain GdBCO bulk superconductor from raw metal oxides. J. Supercond. Nov. Magn. 31(12), 3835–3840 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-018-4673-0
Funaki, S., Miyachi, Y., Soeda, K., Yamada, Y.: 低温液相成長反応によるREBCO超伝導線材の超伝導接合 Superconducting-joint for REBCO coated conductors via low temperature liquid phase growth reaction. 応用物理学会春季学術講演会. 65(6), 27 (2018)
Li, B., Wang, X., Xia, D., Chu, Q., Liu, X., Lu, F., Zhao, X.: One-step green synthesis of cuprous oxide crystals with truncated octahedra shapes via a high pressure flux approach. J. Solid State Chem. 184(8), 2097–2102 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2011.05.049
Mao, Y., Tran, T., Guo, X., Huang, J.Y., Shih, C.K., Wang, K.L., Chang, J.P.: Luminescence of nanocrystalline erbium-doped yttria. Adv. Funct. Mater. 19(5), 748–754 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200800880
Wang, X., Hu, C., Liu, H., Du, G., He, X., Xi, Y.: Synthesis of CuO nanostructures and their application for nonenzymatic glucose sensing. Sensors Actuators B Chem. 144(1), 220–225 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2009.09.067
Zhang, N., Liu, X., Yi, R., Shi, R., Gao, G., Qiu, G.: Selective and controlled synthesis of single-crystalline yttrium hydroxide/oxide nanosheets and nanotubes. J. Phys. Chem. C. 112(1), 17788–17795 (2008)
Funding
This work was supported in part by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (16521108402, 13111102300, and 14521102800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51572165), the National Key Research and Development Program (2016YFF0101701), and the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB25000000).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, H., Chu, M., Chen, J. et al. Elucidation of YBCO Growth Mechanism in KOH Flux Method. J Supercond Nov Magn 34, 107–116 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-020-05675-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-020-05675-z