Creating YBCO: Melting Down and Doping for Superconductivity

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of melting down YBCO (Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide) to modify its doping or add more material while maintaining its superconducting properties. Participants explore the implications of such processes on the material's structure and functionality, touching on synthesis methods and potential hazards.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the practicality of melting YBCO to change doping, suggesting that controlled doping requires specific conditions, such as annealing in a high-pressure O2 environment.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential alteration of the crystal structure if YBCO is melted, with implications for its performance in condensed matter studies.
  • Participants note that melting YBCO could change its composition and raise safety issues due to the toxic nature of the elements involved.
  • There is a repeated inquiry about the possibility of synthesizing a large, single-crystal sample of YBCO and whether the initial synthesis process is irreversible.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility and implications of melting YBCO, with no consensus reached on whether it can be done effectively or safely.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on the specific conditions required for doping and the irreversible nature of the synthesis process, as well as potential reactions with the melting vessel and environment.

Who May Find This Useful

Researchers and enthusiasts in materials science, particularly those focused on superconductors and condensed matter physics, may find this discussion relevant.

Strange_matter
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Once synthesized, can YBCO be melted down to add more material or change the doping and still result in a functional superconductor?
 
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Why would you want to do such a thing? It's literally "dirt cheap."
 
Bystander said:
Why would you want to do such a thing? It's literally "dirt cheap."
I want a single, very large sample of YBCO for an idea I have. Also, could you link to where I could buy some cheaply? I've only really seen it being sold in demonstration kits, which can cost around $40 and don't have very much material.
 
Strange_matter said:
I want a single, very large sample of YBCO for an idea I have. Also, could you link to where I could buy some cheaply? I've only really seen it being sold in demonstration kits, which can cost around $40 and don't have very much material.

You can't change doping in a controlled manner this way. For example, to get an overdoped samples, you have to anneal it in a high-pressure O2 environment.

Not only that, I would imagine that melting it will severely alter the crystal structure of the bulk. At the very least, most likely, it will not be a single-crystal sample. For many condensed matter studies, this is a huge disadvantage.

And this is before we even consider that melting it will change its composition, if it will react with the vessel and the environment that you are melting it in, and if this is actually a hazardous process (notice that the elements involved here are toxic by themselves!).

Zz.
 
ZapperZ said:
You can't change doping in a controlled manner this way. For example, to get an overdoped samples, you have to anneal it in a high-pressure O2 environment.

Not only that, I would imagine that melting it will severely alter the crystal structure of the bulk. At the very least, most likely, it will not be a single-crystal sample. For many condensed matter studies, this is a huge disadvantage.

And this is before we even consider that melting it will change its composition, if it will react with the vessel and the environment that you are melting it in, and if this is actually a hazardous process (notice that the elements involved here are toxic by themselves!).

Zz.
So, the synthesis process is basically irreversible? Also, would initial synthesis of a large sample result in a single crystal?
 

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