PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A CERAMIC SUPERCONDUCTOR NYLON 6,6 COMPOSITE

Abstract

To investigate a possible modification of mechanical strength of conventional ceramic superconductors for magnetic levitation and shielding applications, we have fabricated a series flexible composites with high T(c) (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox (2223) as a filler and a low-melting thermoplastic polymer, Nylon 6,6 as a structural matrix. These composites exhibited magnetic levitation and showed large diamagnetic flux expulsion in the temperature range of 95-110 K, although zero-resistive transition was absent even in the composites with low polymer contents. Fracture SEM studies indicated a systematic variation in the microstructure in terms of the amount of pores present and the extent of the intergrain contacts of the 2223 filler.