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DariusP
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How much would it cost to synthesize YBCO? What devices would I need? Is it possible to make a quality (not brittle) YBCO in my home, so I could conduct countless experiments (providing I have enough liquid nitrogen)?
DariusP said:How much would it cost to synthesize YBCO? What devices would I need? Is it possible to make a quality (not brittle) YBCO in my home, so I could conduct countless experiments (providing I have enough liquid nitrogen)?
ZapperZ said:Do you know how toxic and dangerous Yttrium, Barium, etc. are?
nikkkom said:Actually, neither yttrium nor barium are particularly toxic. Unless you, say, purposefully drink significant amounts (spoonfuls) of some of their soluble salts. Tiny amount of their dust getting into a human body is not dangerous.
Not that I am advocating anyone to go and just start messing with random stuff they don't know about, without considering safety aspects.
OTOH, the people who advance materials science start their careers as kids who like playing with stuff.
The fumes are volatiles (either CO2 or NOx depending on the precursors). The oxides that are left are non-volatile (even at 1500K). With a water bubbler, you'd probably be well under the ppb level for the metal vapors. By far the most dangerous aspect of this synthesis is the heat. (in second place is probably getting electrocuted by a frayed wire...chemical dangers are waaaay down on the list)ZapperZ said:inhalation of the fumes
This seems like a good comment to tie off this thread with. Thanks everybody.f95toli said:Also, YBCO is not very expensive and easily available. It would be far cheaper to just buy some..
CAN Superconductor will sell you a small disc for 40 Euro and they even have an e-shop.
I think on ebay you should get all of them for less than $50. The most expensive being Y2O3. If your university has a chemistry department, they also should have kind of a store where students can buy chemicals for their labs. Maybe you can get stuff there with the consent of a supervisor. You will also need a pellet press.TeethWhitener said:http://www.chem.uky.edu/courses/che450g/handouts/123.html
Looking at Sigma-Aldrich, each of the required powders will probably cost between $50-200 for 25 g.
I guess this might be obvious, but you should really ask before you use the furnace. Furnaces of this type are (typically) used for semiconductors (or some other specific category of materials) and these can be very sensitive to impurities. Hence, in most cleanrooms/labs there will be restrictions on what materials can be used in a given furnaces (this would be true for most process equipment)DariusP said:I do know that my university has a furnace which can provide oxygen flow and heat up to 1500 celsius, so that's taken care of.
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DariusP said:Also, does anyone know if a thermocouple could measure cryogenic temperatures? (from +20 all the day down to -200 celsius)
Thanks, I will consider your suggestion. I've never heard of measuring temperatures with diodes but seems like this is actually a thing https://www.lakeshore.com/products/...nsors/Silicon-Diodes/Pages/Model-Landing.aspxf95toli said:A silicone diode would be more appropriate than a thermocouple.
DariusP said:Thanks, I will consider your suggestion. I've never heard of measuring temperatures with diodes but seems like this is actually a thing https://www.lakeshore.com/products/...nsors/Silicon-Diodes/Pages/Model-Landing.aspx
I wonder if my university has one.
The cost of synthesizing YBCO can vary depending on several factors such as the purity of the starting materials, the equipment and techniques used, and the scale of the synthesis. However, on average, it can cost anywhere from $500 to $5000.
The most expensive component in the YBCO synthesis process is the starting materials. The materials used to create YBCO, such as yttrium, barium, and copper, can be costly due to their rarity and purity requirements.
Yes, it is possible to lower the cost of YBCO synthesis by finding alternative, more affordable starting materials or by optimizing the synthesis process to reduce waste and increase efficiency. Collaborating with other scientists and sharing resources can also help to lower the cost.
Yes, there are several cost-saving measures that can be taken during YBCO synthesis. These include using cheaper starting materials, optimizing the synthesis process, and finding alternative methods that require less expensive equipment. It is also important to properly plan and budget for the synthesis to avoid unnecessary costs.
Not necessarily. While using higher quality starting materials and equipment can increase the cost of synthesis, it does not necessarily guarantee a higher quality YBCO product. The expertise and precision of the scientist carrying out the synthesis process also play a significant role in determining the quality of the final product.