Electrodeposition of High Temperature Superconductors
Abstract
The overall objective of this project is to develop a process for direct electrodeposition of Yttrium- Barium- Copper superconducting oxides from a molten salt at relatively low temperatures (300-550 deg C). The approach entails establishing a sequence of electrochemical steps for the layered deposition of yttrium, barium and copper oxide species from a eutectic sodium potassium nitrate melt. The background data needed to define appropriate procedures/voltage sequences for electrodeposition of Y-Ba-Cu HTSC oxides have been obtained. Electrodeposition of CuO has been investigated in detail and shown to be insensitive to temperature (at least to 400 deg C). All three metals have been demonstrated to electrodeposit from the nitrate melt and the current- voltage characteristics for the deposition/dissolution processes have been established. Both Cu and Y have been have been shown to electrodissolve in the melt and to deposit as the oxides (CuO and Y2O3). Deposition of Y oxide on Cu oxide electrodes results in a uniform film composition over a 0.4 micron thicknesses, indicating that formation of mixed metal oxide compounds occurs. Since direct oxide electrodeposition occurs (at least for Cu and Y) in the nitrate melt, this system is ideally suited for deposition of HTSC materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 18, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA242439
Entities
People
- D. M. Tench