Method of manufacturing oxide superconductor, and method of manufacturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of the oxide superconductor

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an oxide superconductor containing at least an alkaline earth metal and copper. This method comprises the steps of heating a material substance containing elements con­ stituting the oxide superconductor, in an atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure of at most 50 Torr at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C, and then heating the material substance in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Also disclosed herein is a method of manu­ facturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of the oxide superconductor. This method comprises the steps of heating the material substance in an atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure of at most 50 Torr at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C, and crushing the material substance into powder.

Description: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing oxide superconductors having good super-conducting properties, and also to a method of manufacturing composite oxide powder, i.e., a precursor from which the oxide superconductor having good superconducting properties can be manufactured easily. In recent years, various oxide superconductors have been found which comprise oxygen and other elements such as alkaline earth metals, rare earth elements, copper, bismuth, and thallium. These oxide superconductors are made in the following way. First, the material compounds, i.e., oxides of these elements, carbonates thereof, nitrates thereof, and a salt of organic acid of these elements such as acetate thereof or oxalate thereof are mixed in a specific ratio, thus forming a mixture powder. Then, the mixture powder is preburnt in the atmosphere or in an oxygen atmosphere, thus preparing a mass of composite oxide. The mass is crushed into powders. The powders are classified. The powders having diameters falling within a specific range, are used as composite oxide powder. The composite oxide powder is molded, thereby forming moldings of a desired shape. These moldings are first sintered and then burned in the atmosphere or in an oxygen atmosphere, thus forming oxide superconductors. There is known another method of manufacturing oxide superconductors. In this method, a sol, gel, melt or solution, and the like, each containing the above-mentioned material compounds, are mixed, thus forming a composite oxide. This composite oxide is molded into moldings of a desired shape. These moldings are first sintered and then burnt in the atmosphere or in an oxygen atmosphere, thereby forming oxide superconductors. The oxide superconductors made by sintering the moldings in the atmosphere are sufficiently dense, but do not have good superconducting properties since the composition and structure of the composite oxide powder has altered during the sintering due to the decrease of oxygen. On the other hand, the oxide superconductors made by sintering the moldings in the oxygen atmosphere have sufficient superconducting properties since the composition and structure of the composite oxide powder has changed only a little during the sintering, but are not sufficiently dense because the moldings have not been sintered completely. In particular, when the superconductors have been made in the form of rings, coils or the like, they are likely to have cracks, and fails to exhibit sufficient superconducting properties. As has been pointed out, the moldings are first sintered and then burnt in either conventional method. Consequently, the resultant superconductors exhibit only insufficient superconducting properties such as critical current density (Jc). Hitherto, the material compounds containing the elements constituting an oxide superconductor are mixed by means of the commonly used mechanical stirring. The mechanical stirring results in a material mixture of low homogeneity. Because of its low homogeneity, the material mixture can not sufficiently be changed into a desirable composite oxide powder, i.e., a precursor of an oxide superconductor, when the mixture is subjected to preburning. Furthermore, when a salt containing carbon, such as BaCO₃, is used as one of the material compounds, the composite oxide will contain carbon residue. When the carbon remains in an amount over 0.1 wt%, it forms a low-melting point compound during the preburning or the sintering. This compound is deposited in the crystal boundaries. As a consequence, the preburnt or sintered mass fails to have a single homogeneous phase, which is an indispensable superconducting property. In this way, the carbon residue hinders the manufacture of oxide superconductors having sufficient superconducting properties such as critical current density (Jc). Physical Review Letters, Vol. 58, No. 4, January 26, 1987, pages 405 to 507 reveals a method of manufacturing an oxide superconductor containing La and Cu which comprises a first heating step according to which a material substance containing the elements constituting the oxide superconductor is subjected to a temperature of 900°C under a reduced oxygen atmosphere of 2 X 10⁻⁵ bar and a second heating step at 925°C under the same oxygen atmosphere. WO-A-89/01924 (prior art in the sense of Art. 54(3) EPC) reveals a process for manufacturing an oxide superconductor containing an alkaline earth metal and copper which comprises two heating steps. During the first heating step, the temperature is between 870°C and 950°C, and the partial pressure oxygen is below 0.2 atm. EP-A-0 286 135 (prior art in the sense of Art. 54(3) EPC) discloses a method for producing a ceramic oxide superconductor which comprises the step of post-heating the superconductor composite material in an oxygen-free atmosphere, particularly in a reducing atmosphere such as a hydrogen atmosphere or a carbon monoxide atmosphere at a pressure not higher than 10 Torr. Post-heating (annealing) a superconducting oxide in a reducing atmosphere is also mentioned in Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 26, No. 4, April 1987, pages L510-L511, N. TERADA et al.: "Lattice Parameter and its Pressure Dependence of High T c Sr x La 2-x Cu O 4-y (x ∼ 0.6) Prepared under Reducing Condition". It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an oxide superconductor which has good superconducting properties, and also a method of manufacturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of the oxide superconductor. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an oxide superconductor containing at least an alkaline earth metal and copper, said method comprising the steps of: preburning a material substance containing elements constituting the oxide super conductor in a first heating step in a reducing gas atmosphere containing a reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0.1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500 to 1000°C, and sintering and/or burning the thus obtained precursor of the oxide superconductor in a second heating step in an oxygen containing atmosphere. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of the above oxide superconcuctor, said method comprising the steps of: preburning a material substance containing elements constituting the oxide superconductor in a reducing atmosphere containing a reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0.1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500 to 1000°C; and crushing the material substance, thereby forming composite oxide powder. The term "oxide superconductor containing at least an alkaline earth metal and copper" as is used herein generally means both an oxide superconductor comprising alkaline earth metals, rare earth elements, copper, and oxygen, and an oxide superconductor containing the same components except that at least one of the components is replaced by bismuth and thallium. More specifically, the term encompasses superconductors such as: ReBa₂Cu₃O 7-x including YBaCu₃O 7-x , SmBa₂Cu₃O 7-x , ErBa₂Cu₃O 7-x , GdBa₂Cu₃O 7-x , D y Ba₂Cu₃O 7-x , HoBa₂Cu₃O 7-x , and TmBa₂Cu₃O 7-x ; (Re 1-x Re x )Ba₂Cu₃O 7-y including (Y 1-x D yx )Ba₂Cu₃O 7-y , (Y 1-x Er x )Ba₂Cu₃O 7-y , Dy 0.5 Ho 0.5 Ba₂Cu₃O 7-y ; Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu₂-O x including BiSrCaCu₂O x and Br₄Sr₂Ca₂Cu₄O x ; and Tℓ₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₇ (Re is a rare earth element other than La). Further, the term "oxide superconductor" also means moldings made exclusively of the above-defined oxide superconductor substance, in the form of powder, strips, plates, pellets, coils, rings, pipes, and moldings having stabilizing metal layers formed on the outer surfaces. The oxide superconducting according to the present invention is limited to one which has critical temperature (Tc) equal to or higher than the temperature (77K) of liquid nitrogen. This is because, when its Tc is lower than the temperature of liquid nitrogen, the oxide superconductor will need to be cooled with liquid helium, as the conventional method, and will become less useful practically. In the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, said material substance is preburnt in a first heating step in a reducing gas atmosphere having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0,1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C. The thus obtained substance is then crushed, thus forming composite oxide powder which contains less oxygen than required to have such composition and such structure as will exhibit superconducting properties. If necessary, the composite oxide powder is molded into moldings having a desired shape. Then, either before or after crushing or molding, the composite oxide powder is sintered or burnt in a second heating step in an oxygen-containing atmosphere, thereby preparing powder or a dense moldings having a density of 95 % or more of the theoretical density, either having such composition and structure as will exhibit superconducting properties. When the material substance is preburnt in the first heating step at a temperature over 7000°C, the components of the substance are melted, whereby the composite oxide powder or the moldings formed of this powder fail to have such composition and structure as will exhibit superconducting properties. On the other hand, when the material substance is preburnt in the first heating step at a temperature below 500°C, the reaction does not fully proceed. Therefore, it is advisable that the material substance be preburnt in the first heating step at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C. The material substance used in the present invention, which contains the elements constituting an oxide superconductor containing at least an alkaline earth metal and copper, is at least one selected from the group consisting of: oxide, hydroxide, halogenide of said elements; salts of inorganic acid of said elements such as carbonate thereof and nitrate thereof; salts of organic acid of said elements such as acetate thereof and oxalate thereof; alkoxide of said elements. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the material substance can be used in the form of powder, a melt, a solution, a sol, or a gel. The material substance is prepared in the following way. The salts containing the elements constituting the oxide superconductor are simultaneously precipitated by means of co-precipitation with oxalic acid, thereby forming powder. This powder is fine, and its components are uniformly dispersed. This powder is preferred since the reaction proceeds quickly and completely when the powder is preburnt, sintered or burnt. When oxalate or the like, which is a salt containing carbon, is used as the material substance, the mixture powder contains carbon residue. Nonetheless, according to the first aspect of this invention, the carbon residue will be reduced to 0.1 wt% or less due to the decomposition occurring during the preburning in the first heating step. Such a low content of carbon is not detrimental at all to the superconducting properties of the final product. Certainly, it is preferable that oxide, hydroxide, halogenide, nitrate or sulfate, which is a salt containing no carbon, be used as the material substance. When a salt of organic acid, such as carbonate, oxalate or acetate, which is a salt containing carbon, is used as the material substance, it is desirable that this salt be processed to decrease the carbon content to 0.1 wt% or less, thus preparing a mixture powder. The mixture powder can be actively sintered in the second heating step due to the reduced carbon content, thus forming oxide superconductors exhibiting excellent superconducting properties. In the case of oxalate prepared by means of co-precipitation, its carbon residue is decomposed to reduce, the carbon content, in the following way. The oxalate is preburnt in the first heating step at 500°C to 1000°C in an atmosphere having a reducing gas partial pressure as defined above. This method successfully reduces the carbon content to 0.1 wt% or less. When the oxalate is preburnt in the first heating step at a temperature lower than 500°C, the oxalate cannot be fully decomposed. On the other hand, when the oxalate is preburnt in the first heating step at a temperature higher than 1000°C, part of the oxalate will be melted. In either case, the final product will not exhibit sufficient superconducting properties. As has been described, the second aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of an oxide superconductor having a high critical current density (Jc). The inventors of this invention have repeated experiments, and found the following facts about the conventional method: (1) A carbonate such as BaCO₃, which is commonly used as materials compound in producing an oxide superconductor by the solid phase method, contains much carbon residue. The coprecipitate, which is generally used as material compound in making an oxide superconductor by the liquid phase method, also contains much carbon residue. When either material compound is sintered in the second heating step, the carbon residue aggregates at the crystal boundaries, inevitably degrading the superconducting properties of the final product, in particular the critical current density (Jc). (2) The material compound, such as a carbonate, is preburnt in the first heating step at a relatively high temperature (about 950°C) so as to accelerate the decomposition of the compound and the composite reaction thereof. Intermediate compounds having a low melting point are likely to be formed during the preburning of the material compound. These are impurities, and the final product cannot have a homogeneous phase and fails to exhibit sufficient superconducting properties such as critical current density (Jc). The present invention has been made on the basis of these facts. As has been stated, the second aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing composite oxide powder, in which a material substance containing elements constituting the oxide superconductor containing at least the alkaline earth metal and copper, is preburnt in a reducing gas atmosphere having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0,1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C; and the material substance is then crushed, thereby forming composite oxide powder, i.e., the precursor of an oxide superconductor. The composite oxide powder prepared by the method according to the present invention is oxygen-lacking and is, therefore, very active. When moldings of a desired shape, made of this powder are sintered in the second heating step, it undergoes a kind of oxygen-reaction sintering. The sintered moldings are dense and has such a most suitable composition and structure as will exhibit superconducting properties. Moreover, the composite oxide powder prepared by the method according to the present invention has a low carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less. Hence, when the powder is heat-treated in the second heating step in an oxygen-containing atmosphere, an oxide superconductor having excellent superconducting properties will be manufactured. In order to manufacture composite oxide powder whose carbon content is 0.1 wt% or less, the material substance must be preburnt at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C. If the preburning temperature is below 500°C, the material substance cannot be completely preburnt. On the other hand, if the preburning temperature exceeds 1000°C, a different phase of, for example, CuO will be precipitated to degrade the superconducting properties. To prepare composite oxide powder which contains 0.1 wt% or less of carbon and a small amount of oxygen, the material substance is preburnt in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C. Hydrogen or carbon monoxide (CO) gas can be used as the reducing gas. When the partial pressure of either reducing gas is less than 13.3 Pa (0.1 Torr), the material substance can not be reduced sufficiently, making it hard to form composite oxide powder which contains 0.1 wt% or less of carbon and a small amount of oxygen. Therefore, it is required that the partial pressure of the reducing gas be 13.3 Pa (0.1 Torr) or more. When the material substance is preburnt at a temperature lower than 500°C, it can be neither decomposed nor reduced sufficiently, and the resultant composite oxide powder can neither have a sufficiently low carbon content nor a small amount of oxygen. On the other hand, when the material substance is preburnt at a temperature higher than 1000°C, an different phase of, for example, CuO will be precipitated to degrade the superconducting properties. Hence, it is required that the material substance be preburnt at a temperature ranging from 500°C to 1000°C. As has been described, according to the second aspect of the present invention, various materials are preburnt, thereby preparing composite oxide powder. Even when organic acid salts such as carbonate, acetate, and oxalate are preburnt, there will be provided composite oxide powder whose carbon content is 0.1 wt% or less. Nonetheless, it is, of course, preferable that one or more material substances selected from the group consisting of oxide, hydroxide, halogenide, nitrate and sulfate, which are salts containing no carbon, be used as the substance. When materials substance selected from this group are used, it is desirable that they be preburnt in a reducing atmosphere, thereby forming active composite oxide powder, i.e., a precursor of an oxide superconductor. When this composite oxide powder is sintered in an oxygen atmosphere, a sintered mass having excellent superconducting properties is obtained. The present invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to various examples. Example 1 BaCO₃, Y₂O₃, Er₂O₃ and CuO were used as material compounds. The compounds were mixed, thus forming mixture powder, in atomic ratio of (Y + Er) : Ba : Cu = 1 : 2 : 3, and also atomic ratio of Y : Er = 9 : 1. Five hundred (500) grams of the mixture powder was preburnt at 900°C for 4 hours in a hydrogen-substituted reducing atmosphere evacuated to hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33 · 10³ Pa (10 Torr). The preburnt material was crushed into powders. These powders were classified, and those having an average particle diameter of 2 µm or less were molded into pellets having a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 5 mm. These pellets were siritered at 880°C for 2 hours in an oxygen atmosphere. The sintered pellets were then burnt at 800°C for 24 hours in an oxygen atmosphere. The pellets were gradually cooled from 800°C to 400°C at the rate of 2°C/min, thus forming superconducting moldings. Example 2 The same mixture powder as obtained and used in Example 1 was heated in a first heating step 920°C for 4 hours in a CO gas-substituted reducing atmosphere evacuated to CO partial pressure of 1.33 · 102 Pa (1 Torr). This preburnt material was crushed into powders. These powders were classified, and those having an average diameter of 2 µm or less were molded into pellets having a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 5 mm. These pellets were heated in a second heating step and finally cooled under the same conditions as in Example 1, thus forming superconducting moldings. Example 3 Ba(NO₃)₂, Sr(NO₃)₂, Y(NO₃)₃, and Cu(NO₃)₂ were used as material compounds. The compounds were mixed, thus forming mixture powder, in atomic ratio of Y : (Ba + Sr) : Cu = 1 : 2 : 3, and also atomic ratio of: Ba : Sr = 4 : 1. Five hundred (500) grams of the mixture powder was heated in a first heating step at 750°C for 2 hours in a reducing atmosphere evacuated to hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33·10³ Pa (10 Torr). The preburnt material was molded, heated in a second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 1, thereby forming superconducting moldings. Control 1 The same mixture powder as obtained and used in Example 18 was heated in a first heating step at 900°C for 8 hours in the ordinary atmosphere. The preburnt material was molded, heated in a second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 1, thereby forming superconducting moldings. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77K), and carbon content of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 1 to 3 and Control 1 were measured. The results were as shown in Table 1. As is evident from Table 1, the moldings of Examples 1 to 3 had a carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and were dense moldings having a density of 95 % or more of the theoretical value, and exhibited good superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the molding of Control 1 made from the mixture powder, which had not been heated in a reducing atmosphere, had a great carbon content, a relatively low density, and insufficient superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. Example 4 and Controls 2 - 3 Ba(NO₃)₂, Y(NO₃)₃, Cu(NO₃)₂ were used as material compounds. The compounds were mixed, thus forming mixture powder, in atomic ratio of Y : Ba : Cu = 1 : 2 : 3. Six portions of this mixture powder, each weighing 500 g, were pre-heated for dehydration at 300°C for 3 hours in the atmosphere, and then heated in a first heating step in a hydrogen-substituted atmosphere evacuated to a hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33·10³ Pa (10 Torr), at different temperatures specified in Table 12. These preburnt materials were molded, heated in a second heating step and cooled, under the same conditions as in Example 1, thus forming superconducting moldings. The heating in the first heating step was continued for 10 hours at 350°C and 450°C; for 5 hours at 600°C and 700°C; for 3 hours at 800°C ∼ 1050°C. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77K), and carbon content of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 4-1 to 4-6, and Controls 2 and 3 were measured. The results were as shown in Table 2. As is clearly understood from Table 2, the moldings of Examples 4-1 to 4-6 had a carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and were dense moldings having a density of 95 % or more of the theoretical value, and exhibited good superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the moldings of Controls 2 and 3 made from the mixture powder, which had not been heated in a first heating step at temperatures falling outside the range according to this invention, had a relatively low density and insufficient superconducting characteristics such a Tc and Jc. Example 5 and Control 4 Seven portions of the same mixture powder obtained and used in Example 4, each weighing 500 g, were pre-heated for dehydration under the same conditions as in Example 4. These portions were then heated in a first heating step at 800°C for 3 hours in different hydrogen-substituted atmospheres evacuated to the various hydrogen partial pressures specified in Table 3 and ranging from 6.7 Pa to 10.1·10⁴ Pa (0.05 to 760 Torr). These preburnt materials were molded, heated in a second heating step, and cooled, under the same conditions as in Example 1, thus forming superconducting moldings. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77K), and carbon content of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 5-1 to 5-7, and Control 4, were measured. The results were as shown in Table 3. As is evident from Table 3, the moldings of Examples 5-1 to 5-7 had a carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and a high density of 95 % or more, and exhibited good superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. Also as is apparent from Table 3, the higher the hydrogen partial pressure, the better the superconducting characteristics. This is because the less the residual carbon content in the composite oxide powder, the greater the deficiency of oxygen, and hence, the more prominent the activation of composite oxide powder. In contrast, the molding of Control 4, made from the mixture powder which had not been heated in the first heating step in the atmospheres having the hydrogen partial pressures lower than those which fall within the range in this invention, had a high carbon content, a relatively low density, and insufficient superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. Example 6 and Control 5 Six portions of the same mixture powder as used in Example 5, weighing 500 g, were heated in a first heating step in CO-substituted atmospheres evacuated to the different CO partial pressures specified in Table 4 and ranging from 6.7 Pa to 2.0·10⁴ Pa (0.05 to 150 Torr). The preburnt materials were molded, heated in a second heating step, and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 5, thereby forming superconducting moldings. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77K), and carbon content of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 6-1 to 6-6, and Control 5, were measured. The results were as shown in Table 4. As is clearly understood from Table 4, the moldings of Examples 6-1 to 6-6 had a high density and exhibited good superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the molding of Control 5 made from the mixture powder, which had not been heated in the first heating step in a CO-substituted atmosphere evacuated to a CO partial pressure lower than the range in this invention, had a relatively low density and insufficient superconducting characteristics such as Tc and Jc. Example 7 Bi₂O₃, SrCO₃, CaCO₃ and CuO were used as material compounds. These compounds were mixed in atomic ratio of Bi : Sr : Ca : Cu = 1 : 1 : 1 : 2. Five hundred (500) grams of the resultant mixture was heated in a first heating step at 800°C for 4 hours in an hydrogen-substituted reducing atmosphere evacuated to a hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33·10³ Pa (10 Torr), thus forming a preburnt mass. This preburnt mass was crushed into powders, which were classified. Those powders having an average particle diameter of 2 µm or less were molded into pellets having a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 5 mm. These pellets were heated in a second heating step in the ordinary atmosphere at 870°C for 2 hours. The sintered pellets were gradually cooled at the rate of 0.5°C/min, thereby forming superconducting moldings. Example 8 The same primary material powder as used in Example 7 was heated in a first heating step at 820°C for 4 hours in CO-substituted reducing atmosphere having a CO partial pressure of 1.33·10² Pa (1 Torr), thus forming a preburnt mass. This preburnt mass was crushed into powders, which were classified. Those powders having an average particle diameter of 2 µm or less were molded into pellets having a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 5 mm. These pellets were heated in a second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 7, thereby forming superconducting moldings. Example 9 Ba(NO₃)₂, Ca(NO₃)₂, Tℓ(NO₃)₃, and Cu(NO₃)₂ were used as material powders. They were mixed in atomic ratio of Tℓ : Ba : Ca : Cu = 2 : 2 : 2 : 3, thus preparing a mixture. Five (hundred) 500 grams of the mixture were heated in a first heating step at 750°C for 2 hours in an reducing atmosphere evacuated to a hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33.10³ Pa (10 Torr), thereby forming a preburnt mass. This preburnt mass was molded into pellets of the same sizes as those made in Example 7. The pellets were heated in a second heating step at 880°C for 3 hours. The sintered pellets were gradually cooled at the rate of 1°C/min, thereby forming superconducting moldings. Control 6 The same material powder prepared and used in Example 7 was heated in a first heating step at 800°C for 8 hours in the ordinary atmosphere, thus forming a preburnt mass. This preburnt mass was molded, heated in a second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 7, thereby forming oxide superconducting moldings. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at liquid nitrogen temperature (77K), and carbon content, of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 7, 8, and 9 and Control 6, were measured. The results were as shown in Table 5. As is evident from Table 5, the moldings of Examples 7, 8 and 9 had a carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and were dense moldings having a density of 95 % or more of the theoretical value. They were of a 100K-class, high-Tc and uniform phase. Therefore, they exhibited sufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the molding of Control 6, which had been made from the material powder not heated in a first heating step in a reducing atmosphere, had a high carbon content and a low density, and exhibited insufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc since it contained both an 85K-class Tc phase and 100K-class Tc phase. Example 10 and Controls 7 - 8 Aqueous solutions of Ba(NO₃)₂, Ca(NO₃)₂, Tℓ(NO₃)₂, and Cu(NO₃)₂ were mixed in atomic ratio of Tℓ : Ba : Ca : Cu = 2 : 2 : 2 : 3. Oxalic acid is applied to the mixture of the solutions, thus causing the co-precipitation. These co-precipitated masses were dehydrated an dried, thus forming material powder. Five portions of this powder, each weighing 500 g, were pre-heated for dehydration at 300°C for 3 hours in the atmosphere. These portions of the powder were heated in a first heating step in a hydrogen atmosphere having a hydrogen partial pressure of 1.33·10³ Pa (10 Torr), at the various temperatures specified in Table 6. The preburnt powder was molded, heated in a second heating step and cooled in the same way and under the same conditions, as in Example 7, thus forming superconducting moldings. The heating in the first heating step was continued for 10 hours at 350°C and 450°C; for 5 hours at 600°C and 700°C; for 3 hours at 800°C ∼ 1000°C. The density, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) measured at liquid nitrogen temperature (77K), and carbon content, of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 10-1 to 10-5 and Controls 7 and 8, were measured. The results were as is shown in Table 23. As can be clearly understood from Table 6, the moldings of Examples 10-1 to 10-5 had a carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and were dense moldings having a density of 95 % or more of the theoretical value, and also exhibited sufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the moldings of Controls 7 and 8, which had been made from the primary material powder not heated in the first heating step at temperatures falling outside the range according to this invention, had a low density and no sufficiently uniform phase, and, therefore, exhibited insufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. Example 11 and Control 9 Seven portions of the same material powder obtained and used in Example 10, each weighing 500 g, were heated in a first heating step at 800°C for 3 hours, in hydrogen-substituted atmospheres evacuated to hydrogen partial pressures ranging from 6.7 Pa to 10.1·10⁴ Pa (0.05 Torr to 760 Torr) as shown in Table 7. The preburnt powder was molded into pellets, and these pellets were heated in a second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 7, thereby forming superconducting moldings. The superconducting properties and carbon content of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 11-1 to 11-7 and Control 9, were measured. The results were as shown in Table 24. As is evident from Table 7, the moldings of Examples 11-1 to 11-7 was of uniform phase and had a low carbon content of 0.1 wt% or less and a high density. Hence, they had good superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. As is clear from Table 7, the higher the hydrogen partial pressure, the better the superconducting properties. This is because the lower the residual carbon content in the secondary material powder, the greater the deficiency of oxygen, and thus, the more prominent activation of the powder. In contrast, the molding of Control 9, which had been made from the powder heated in the first heating step in the atmospheres having a hydrogen partial pressure lower than the range according to the present invention, had a low density and was of a low-Tc phase. Therefore, they had insufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. Example 12 and Control 10 Six portions of the same material powder in Example 41, each weighing 500 g, were heated in the first heating step under the same conditions as in Example 11, except that they were heated in a CO gas-substituted reducing atmospheres evacuated to CO partial pressures ranging from 6.7 Pa to 2.0·10⁴ Pa (0.05 Torr to 150 Torr) as shown in Table 8. The preburnt powder was molded, heated in the second heating step and cooled under the same conditions as in Example 11, thereby forming superconducting moldings. The superconducting properties and carbon content, of each of the superconducting moldings of Examples 12-1 to 12-6 and Control 10, were measured. The results were as shown in Table 8. As is evident from Table 8, the moldings of Examples 12-1 to 12-6, were of a uniform phase and a high density. Hence, they had excellent superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. In contrast, the molding of Control 10, which had been made from the powder heated in the first heating step in a CO atmosphere having a CO partial pressure lower than the range according to this invention, had a low density and was of a low-Tc phase. Therefore, they had insufficient superconducting properties such as Tc and Jc. As has been described, the method according to the present invention makes it possible to manufacture an oxide superconductor which is dense, contains a small amount of carbon residue, and exhibits excellent superconducting properties. Further, the method according to this invention makes it possible to provide an active, composite oxide powder which contains a small amount of carbon residue and a deficient amount of oxygen. An oxide superconductor made from this composite oxide powder exhibits excellent superconducting properties. The present invention is, therefore, very useful from an industrial point of view.

Claims: A method of manufacturing an oxide superconductor containing at least one alkaline earth metal and copper, said method comprising the steps of: preburning a material substance containing elements constituting the oxide super conductor in a first heating step in a reducing gas atmosphere containing a reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0.1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500 to 1000°C, and sintering and/or burning the thus obtained precursor of the oxide superconductor in a second heating step in an oxygen containing atmosphere. A method of manufacturing composite oxide powder which is the precursor of an oxide superconductor containing at least one alkaline earth metal and copper, said method comprising the steps of: preburning a material substance containing elements constituting the oxide superconductor in a reducing atmosphere containing a reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and having a reducing gas partial pressure of at least 13,3 Pa (0.1 Torr) at a temperature ranging from 500 to 1000°C; and crushing the material substance, thereby forming composite oxide powder. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said material substance is at least one member selected from the group consisting of: oxide, hydroxide, halogenide, carbonate, nitrate, acetate, oxalate and alkoxide of said elements. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said material substance is powder prepared by simultaneously precipitating salt solutions containing the elements constituting the oxide superconductor, by means of co-precipitation. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said material substance is selected so that said oxide superconductor belongs to the group consisting of ReBa₂Cu₃O 7-x , (Re 1-x · Re x )-Ba₂-Cu₃-O 7-x , Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu₂-O x , and Tℓ₂-Ba₂-Ca₂-Cu₃-O x (Re is a rare earth element other than La). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said oxide superconductor is prepared as a powder. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said oxide superconductor is prepared as a molding selected from the group consisting of a wire, a strip, a plate, a pellett, a coil, a ring and a pipe. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said oxide superconductor is prepared as a molding having a stabilizing metal layer formed on the outer surfaces.

Inventors: ENOMOTO NORITSUGU, SHIGA SHOJI, TANAKA YASUZO, UNO NAOKI, ENOMOTO, NORITSUGU, SHIGA, SHOJI, TANAKA, YASUZO, UNO, NAOKI
Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO LTD, THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H01L39
IPC codes: H01B12, H01L39, C01G3, H01B13, C01G29, C04B35, C01G23, C01G1, C01G15