MgCNi3, an intermetallic compound superconductor with a cubic perovskite crystal structure, has been synthesized using fine Mg and Ni powders and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as starting materials by the conventional pow...MgCNi3, an intermetallic compound superconductor with a cubic perovskite crystal structure, has been synthesized using fine Mg and Ni powders and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as starting materials by the conventional powder metallurgy method. The composition, microstructure and superconductivity are characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The results indicate that the phases of the synthesized samples are MgCNi3 (major phase) and traces of C and MgO. The MgCNi3 particle sizes range from several hundreds of nanometres to several micrometres. The onset superconducting transition temperature Tc of the MgCNi3 sample is about 7.2 K. The critical current density Jc is about 3.44 × 10^4 A/cm^2 calculated according to the Bean model from the magnetization hysteresis loop of the slab MgCNi3 sample at 5 K and zero applied field.展开更多
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 60571043)
文摘MgCNi3, an intermetallic compound superconductor with a cubic perovskite crystal structure, has been synthesized using fine Mg and Ni powders and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as starting materials by the conventional powder metallurgy method. The composition, microstructure and superconductivity are characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The results indicate that the phases of the synthesized samples are MgCNi3 (major phase) and traces of C and MgO. The MgCNi3 particle sizes range from several hundreds of nanometres to several micrometres. The onset superconducting transition temperature Tc of the MgCNi3 sample is about 7.2 K. The critical current density Jc is about 3.44 × 10^4 A/cm^2 calculated according to the Bean model from the magnetization hysteresis loop of the slab MgCNi3 sample at 5 K and zero applied field.