Başoğlu, Mehmet; Çakir, Bakiye; Duman, Şeyda; Aydiner, Alev

The Y3Ba5Cu8O18 (Y358) superconductors were produced using the Melt-Powder-Melt-Growth (MPMG) method. In the crystal growth process, Y2O3 powder was used as a substrate in both powder and tablet form. The first sample was produced without using any buffer layer, the second sample was produced with a powdered Y2O3 buffer layer, and the third sample was produced with a tablet-form Y2O3 buffer layer. The effect of the Y2O3 substrate on the structural and physical properties of the Y358 superconductor samples was investigated. Superconducting phases were observed in all samples of Y358 through XRD measurements, confirming their presence. Samples fabricated using the powder and tablet forms of the Y2O3 substrate had a better microstructure than the sample fabricated without a Y2O3 substrate. The highest critical current density (J c) value was obtained at 77 K for the Y358 sample produced with a Y2O3 powder substrate, and the J c value was calculated as 1.2 × 104 A cm–2 according to the Bean model.

Ekmekci, Dursun; Bülbül, Ferhat

Ni-B/SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2 and CuO composite coatings were successfully obtained by the electroless plating technique. Dispersible SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles were co-deposited with electroless Ni-B coating onto AISI-304 steel substrates. Deposits were characterized for its structural properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD results showed a broad peak of Ni-B and low intensity composite nanoparticle peaks. The surface and cross-section morphology of samples were analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Surface analysis showed that the incorporation in Ni-B matrix of nano-SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2 and CuO particles increases the nodularity of composite coatings. The deposits are composed of a columnar structure grown along the vertical direction of the substrate surface. The results also show that electroless nanocomposite coatings tend to have greater microhardness compared with the coating without nanoparticles. The increase in the microhardness of the nanocomposite coatings reported in this study is attributed to an effect of dispersion strengthening of ceramic particles in the Ni-B matrix.