Abstract
Nickel is an important sheath material for the fabrication of MgB2 wires. However, the effects of Ni doping on the phase formation and superconducting properties of MgB2 remain controversial. In this work, Ni powder is selected for doping in MgB2 bulk in order to examine the corresponding changes. Combining with the DSC analysis and in-situ XRD results, we find indications that the Ni powder reacted with Mg and B, forming MgNi2.5B2 at 600°C. The ternary compound began to decompose at a temperature above 800°C. The reactive phase, MgNi2.5B2, acted as an obstacle to the supercurrent flow, creating weak links among the MgB2 grain boundaries. However, it is found that the added Ni formed a eutectic liquid phase with Mg at 506°C. The liquid phase helps the formation of MgB2 at low temperature, which not only increases the density of the sample, but also improves the grain connectivity. Consequently, the presence of Ni in the MgB2 sample is not necessarily a disadvantage; it depends on the desired application.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51077099) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University for a grant and for financial support.
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Zhao, Q., Liu, Y. & Cai, Q. Influence of Ni addition on the process of phase formation in MgB2 bulk. Appl. Phys. A 107, 877–883 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6812-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6812-y