Preparation of Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−x Compounds By Water Extraction Variant Of Sol-Gel Process

The starting sols were prepared by addition of ammonium hydroxide to acidic solutions of Y-Ba-Cu acetates or by dissolving solid Ba9CO9 or CuCO9.CuCOH)2H2O in acetates of the remaining components. The sols were then gelled to spherical particles with diameter below 50μm by extracting water with 2-ethyl-l-hexanol or to shard by evaporation of water. After thermal treatment of both powders amorphous and then crystalline YBa2Cu,9O7−x were obtained. Formation of these compounds is strongly improved by aging the gel at 200°C. Green and sintered pellets exhibit excellent superconductivity properties.