PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PEROVSKITE OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTOR YBA2CU3O7-X

A perovskite oxide, YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO), has been prepared by the metho d of carbonate precipitation from a mixed nitrate solution and oxidise d at 950 degrees C in an air atmosphere to obtain a perovskite oxide t o be used as a catalyst for H-2/CO reactions. The characterisation of the perovskite oxide was performed by using X-ray diffraction before a nd after the treatment with different gases, A.C. susceptibility measu rements, particle size measurements and temperature programmed reducti on (TPR) in which hydrogen was used in order to monitor the changes of the perovskite with temperature in a hydrogen atmosphere. A.C. suscep tibility measurements showed that the YBCO perovskite exhibited the ty pical good superconducting sharp transition temperature at 93 K, indic ating that the wet chemical preparation route is suited to the product ion of this material.