ELASTIC AND RELAXATION PROPERTIES OF HTSC COMPOSITES BSCCO(2223)-100)PERCENT AG IN THE TEMPERATURE-RANGE 5-300 K((0)

Acoustic and relaxation properties of ceramic composites Bi1,6Pb0,4Sr2 Ca2Cu3O10+delta-Ag have been studied in a wide range of silver concent rations (0-100%). In the vicinity of 150 K, an absorption peak is roun d in the temperature spectrum of sound absorption for the samples of B SCCO(2223) ceramics. The peak height changes non-monotonically when ad ding silver into the ceramics. The peak is found to be of the relaxati on nature and activation parameters of the related relaxation process localized on the grain boundaries of the ceramics are determined. Anot her relaxation absorption peak near 70 K is observed in the BCCO(2223) -Ag samples. The intensity of the peak increases with silver concentra tion. The correlation revealed between the anomalies in the concentrat ion dependences of the acoustic properties and the width of the superc onducting transition shows that the adding of silver into integrain sp aces is to a great extent responsible for the elastic, relaxation and superconducting properties of the composites studied.