Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-x nanocomposite thin films from colloidal solutions

A methodology of general validity to prepare epitaxial nanocomposite films based on the use of colloidal solutions containing different crystalline preformed oxide nanoparticles (ex situ nanocomposites) is reported. The trifluoroacetate (TFA) metal-organic chemical solution deposition route is used with alcoholic solvents to grow epitaxial YBaCuO (YBCO) films. For this reason stabilizing oxide nanoparticles in polar solvents is a challenging goal. We have used scalable nanoparticle synthetic methodologies such as thermal and microwave-assisted solvothermal techniques to prepare CeO and ZrO nanoparticles. We show that stable and homogeneous colloidal solutions with these nanoparticles can be reached using benzyl alcohol, triethyleneglycol, nonanoic acid, trifluoroacetic acid or decanoic acid as protecting ligands, thereby allowing subsequent mixing with alcoholic TFA solutions. An elaborate YBCO film growth analysis of these nanocomposites allows the identification of the different relevant growth phenomena, e.g. nanoparticles pushing towards the film surface, nanoparticle reactivity, coarsening and nanoparticle accumulation at the substrate interface. Upon mitigation of these effects, YBCO nanocomposite films with high self-field critical currents (J ∼ 3-4 MA cm at 77 K) were reached, indicating no current limitation effects associated with epitaxy perturbation, while smoothed magnetic field dependences of the critical currents at high magnetic fields and decreased effective anisotropic pinning behavior confirm the effectiveness of the novel developed approach to enhance vortex pinning. In conclusion, a novel low cost solution-derived route to high current nanocomposite superconducting films and coated conductors has been developed with very promising features.All authors acknowledge the EU (EU-FP7 NMP-LA-2012-280432 EUROTAPES project). ICMAB acknowledges MINECO (MAT2014-51778-C2-1-R) and Generalitat de Catalunya (2014SGR 753 and Xarmae). UGhent acknowledges the Special Research Fund (BOF), the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) and the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation through Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT). TEM microscopy work was conducted in the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2). The authors acknowledge the ICN2 Electron Microscopy Division for offering access to their instruments and expertise. Part of the STEM microscopy work was conducted in 'Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas' at the Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon—Universidad de Zaragoza. The authors acknowledge the LMA-INA for offering access to their instruments and expertise. JG and MC also acknowledge the Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2012-11709 and RYC-2013-12448 respectively).Peer Reviewe

Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-x nanocomposite thin films from colloidal solutions

A methodology of general validity to prepare epitaxial nanocomposite films based on the use of colloidal solutions containing different crystalline preformed oxide nanoparticles (ex situ nanocomposites) is reported. The trifluoroacetate (TFA) metal-organic chemical solution deposition route is used with alcoholic solvents to grow epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films. For this reason stabilizing oxide nanoparticles in polar solvents is a challenging goal. We have used scalable nanoparticle synthetic methodologies such as thermal and microwave-assisted solvothermal techniques to prepare CeO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles. We show that stable and homogeneous colloidal solutions with these nanoparticles can be reached using benzyl alcohol, triethyleneglycol, nonanoic acid, trifluoroacetic acid or decanoic acid as protecting ligands, thereby allowing subsequent mixing with alcoholic TFA solutions. An elaborate YBCO film growth analysis of these nanocomposites allows the identification of the different relevant growth phenomena, e.g. nanoparticles pushing towards the film surface, nanoparticle reactivity, coarsening and nanoparticle accumulation at the substrate interface. Upon mitigation of these effects, YBCO nanocomposite films with high self-field critical currents (J(c) similar to 3-4MAcm(-2) at 77 K) were reached, indicating no current limitation effects associated with epitaxy perturbation, while smoothed magnetic field dependences of the critical currents at high magnetic fields and decreased effective anisotropic pinning behavior confirm the effectiveness of the novel developed approach to enhance vortex pinning. In conclusion, a novel low cost solution-derived route to high current nanocomposite superconducting films and coated conductors has been developed with very promising features