Microwave-Driven Synthesis of Y₃Ba₅Cu₈O₁₈ Superconductors: A Rapid and Sustainable Route for High-Tc Ceramics
Alexander Lourenço Pessoa1 ,· Rodolfo Izquierdo1, · Alfonso Pulgar Arrieta1, · Victor Ciro Solano Reynoso1 ,·Francine Bettio Costa Zadorosny1, · Michael Rudolf Koblischka2,3, · Anjela Koblischka-Veneva2,3, · Rafael Zadorosny1
1 Faculdade de Engenharia, Departamento de Física e Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Caixa Postal 31, Ilha Solteira, SP 15385-007, Brazil
2 Experimental Physics, Saarland University, P.O. Box 151150, 66041 Saarbrücken, Germany
3 SupraSaar, 66133 Saarbrücken-Scheidt, Germany
Abstract
The development of environmentally responsible processing routes for high-temperature superconductors is a key challenge aligned with global sustainability initiatives. In this work, microwave-assisted heat treatment is explored as an alternative route for the synthesis of Y₃Ba₅Cu₈O₁₈ (Y358), a superconducting ceramic with a transition temperature above 100 K. A thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) study was conducted to identify suitable thermal conditions for phase formation. Based on these results, samples processed by conventional electric resistance furnace heating were compared with those obtained using a laboratory-adapted microwave furnace. Structural and microstructural characterizations, performed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, reveal that microwave processing promotes reduced grain growth due to significantly shorter thermal exposure. The combination of microwave-assisted heating with a previously established one-pot synthesis route demonstrates a viable pathway for reducing processing time and energy consumption, while maintaining the structural integrity of the Y358 phase. These findings highlight the potential of microwave processing as a promising strategy for more efficient and sustainable fabrication of high-Tc superconducting materials.
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