Impact of adding bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) nanoparticles on the electrical and mechanical properties of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ ceramic

Abstract

A mechanochemical route was used to prepare bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) with an average grain size of 20 nm. To obtain (BiVO4)x/Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ composites, appropriate amounts of BiVO4 (x) were added to Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ via a solid-state reaction. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) was dropped from 119.5 to 103.5 K with x. The different conduction mechanisms were studied using the Aslamazov–Larkin and Lawrence–Doniach models. Four different fluctuation zones were observed. As the BiVO4 content rose the coherence length was increased from 19.69 to 39.30 Å. Superconducting parameters such as thermodynamic critical field Bc(0), lower critical magnetic field Bc1(0), upper critical magnetic field Bc2(0), and critical current density Jc(0) were decreased with x. Furthermore, the mechanical strength was studied through Vickers microindentation test and variety of mechanical parameters, including elastic modulus (E), yield strength (Y), fracture toughness (K), and brittleness index (B), were determined as a function of BiVO4 content. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]