Structural and Magnetic Properties of Nd 3 Ba 5 Cu 8 O 18+ẟ Superconductor

In this paper, we present experimental research on the crystal structure, morphology, and magnetic properties of the Nd 3 Ba 5 Cu 8 O 18+ẟ superconductor. The powder sample was obtained through the standard solid-state reaction at a temperature of 850 °C in oxygen atmosphere. Using the X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), the phase content of the calcined powder was investigated. A Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns shows that the material crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure, which belongs to Pmm2 (25) space group, with lattice parameters a = 3.914(3) Å, b = 3.880(3) Å, and c = 31.288(8) Å. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows a granular formation for the sample and the elementary composition. Magnetization curves as a function of temperature were obtained for the first time using the vibrating sample magnetometry technique (VSM) in a zero field cooled/field cooled (ZFC/FC) mode to calculate the critical temperature ( T c ) and irreversibility temperature ( T irr ). The measurements reveal a superconductor behavior with a T c = 78.09 K and a T irr = 72.01 K.