Effects of Pb doping on the microstructure and superconductivity of bulk BSCCO 2212

BSCCO 2212 suffers from intrinsic weak flux pinning above /spl sim/20 K. From the view point of practical applications, it is particularly important to expand the irreversible regime up to considerably higher temperatures. BSCCO 2212 (molar ratio Bi:Pb:Sr:Ca:Cu:O=2-x:x:2:1:2) bulk samples have been synthesized using partial-melt processing in air with Pb contents x up to 0.8. Pb doping has been shown to reduce the melting temperature as well as improve the irreversibility field, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy along with superconducting property measurement were carried out to investigate the phase evolution and microstructure. Melt texturing showed considerably large plate-like grains with enhanced 001 reflection peaks. Effects of the Pb doping on the melt processing and superconductivity as a function of temperature and magnetic field will be discussed.