Enhanced Transport Critical Current Density of Tl-1212 Bulk Superconductor Added with Nickel-Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles

High temperature superconductor Tl-1212 with nominal starting composition (Tl0.85Cr0.15)Sr2CaCu2O7-δ was prepared with high purity oxide powders using a solid state reaction method. Small amounts of nickel-zinc ferrite nanoparticles (Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4) at compositions 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.10 wt. % were added into Tl-1212 superconductors. The effect of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles’ addition on the critical temperature (Tc), transport critical current density (Jc), phase formation, and morphology was studied. The samples were characterized using electrical resistance measurement, transport critical current density measurement, powder X-ray diffraction method (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Zero-resistance critical temperature (Tc-zero) was found to rise from 97 K to 99 K with increasing Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles concentration. The highest value recorded for transport critical current density (Jc) was 3,120 mA/cm2 at 77 K, which exhibited by sample with 0.02 wt. % of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles. All samples showed a dominant Tl-1212 phase and exhibited tetragonal lattice structure in the P4/mmm space group. SEM micrographs showed close-packed microstructure with low porosity. EDX mapping showed that Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles were well distributed in the Tl-1212 samples. This study demonstrated that Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles have functioned as effective flux pinning centers to Tl-1212 superconductors and thus significantly enhanced its Jc.