Smart meta-superconductor MgB2 constructed by the dopant phase of luminescent nanocomposite

Abstract

On the basis of the idea that the injecting energy will improve the conditions for the formation of Cooper pairs, a smart meta-superconductor (SMSC) was prepared by doping luminescent nanocomposite Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag in MgB2. To improve the superconducting transition temperature (TC) of the MgB2-based superconductor, two types of Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag, which has the strong luminescence characteristic, with different sizes were prepared and marked as m-Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag and n-Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag. MgB2 SMSC was prepared through an ex situ process. Results show that when the dopant content was fixed at 2.0 wt.%, the TC of MgB2 SMSC increased initially then decreased with the increase in the Ag content in the dopant. When the Ag content is 5%, the TC of MgB2 SMSC was 37.2–38.0 K, which was similar to that of pure MgB2. Meanwhile, the TC of MgB2 SMSC doped with n-Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag increased initially then decreased basically with the increase in the content of n-Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag, in which the Ag content is fixed at 5%. The TC of MgB2 SMSC doped with 0.5 wt.% n-Y2O3:Eu3+/Ag was 37.6–38.4 K, which was 0.4 K higher than that of pure MgB2. It is thought that the doping luminescent nanocomposite into the superconductor is a new means to improve the TC of SMSC.