PrBa2Cu3Ox Polycrystalline Superconductor Preparation

We prepared many samples of nominal PrBa2Cu3Ox as ceramic, polycrystalline pellets with an enormous variety of preparation conditions and can confirm its superconductivity at T-c = 89 K. We found that the superconductivity is in material with the YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) crystal structure. We observed weak ferromagnetism (canted antiferromagnetism) in samples prepared at high temperatures with a low partial pressure of oxygen; these samples also contained the phase PrBaO3. The electromagnetic properties of the material depend sensitively on preparation conditions, especially the sintering temperature and the oxygen level.