Reticulated superconducting YBCO materials of designed macromorphologies with enhanced structural stability through incorporation of lithium. Walsh, D., Wimbush, S. C., & Hall, S. R. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 22(1):015026, January, 2009.
Reticulated superconducting YBCO materials of designed macromorphologies with enhanced structural stability through incorporation of lithium [pdf]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   1 download  
Well-oxygenated superconducting YBa$_{\textrm{2}}$Cu$_{\textrm{3}}$O$_{\textrm{7−δ}}$ (Y123) fibres of ∼20 μm diameter have been synthesized by a biomimetic chemical synthesis protocol in the presence of the polysaccharide dextran. The resultant fibre morphology is highly porous, comprising a network of finely grained YBCO crystallites, yielding an enhanced critical current density in comparison to other bulk material. The predetermined fibre morphology is retained throughout the synthesis, exhibiting only a reduction in dimension as the organic material is calcined. By doping the synthesis mixture with lithium, an enhanced structural strength is obtained, along with a densification of the resultant material down to a 1 μm diameter, rendering the material resistant to handling without loss of structural integrity.

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