MAGNETIC AND TRANSPORT-PROPERTIES OF PRBA2CU4O8-DELTA PREPARED AT 1 ATM OXYGEN-PRESSURE

Measurements of physical properties were performed on the PrBa2Cu4O8-d elta sample prepared by the sol-gel method and sintered in 1 atm oxyge n pressure. Instead of exhibiting superconductivity as for R=Y or Gd i n the RBa(2)Cu(4)O(8-delta) compound. This compound is unstable, insul ating but metallic-like at low temperatures. No superconductivity was observed down to 2 K. Since PrBa2Cu4O8-delta which is a compound of tw o Cuo(2)-layers and two CuO-chains. The possibility of anomalous Pr an tiferromagnetic ordering around 18 K observed from preliminary magneti c data and the effect of oxygen stoichiometry parameter delta on the m etal-insulator transition are explored.