Phase Evolution and Critical Temperature of MgB₂ Superconductor Made of β-Rhombohedral Boron with Temperature Sintering Variation

Abstract:

We report the phase formation and electrical resistivity of MgB₂ superconductor samples. Method of synthesis was conventional solid-state reaction employing crystalline β-rhombohedral boron (B) and magnesium (Mg) with a stoichiometric ratio of Mg:B=1:2. The two precursors were mixed and sintered at various temperatures from 600°C to 900°C for an hour. All samples were characterized employing XRD, SEM, and Cryogenic Magnetometer. It is shown that the MgB₂ phase begins to form at a sintering temperature of 700°C. The highest peak intensity of the MgB₂ phase was observed in a sample sintered at 900°C indicates the largest fraction of the superconducting phase among all synthesized samples. Electrical resistivity values were carried out to investigate the superconducting properties of the samples. It is also shown the samples sintered at a temperature of 800°C and 900°C possess superconducting properties with a critical temperature of ~ 43 K

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 855)
• Pages: 215-220
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.855.215
• Online since: July 2020
• Authors: Sigit Dwi Yudanto, Agung Imaduddin, Budhy Kurniawan, Azwar Manaf*
• Keywords: Critical Temperature, MgB₂, Superconducting, β-Rhombohedral Boron

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