Investigation of barium oxide replacement in YBCO type superconductors

CHED 1181

Luke S. McCage, lukemccage@yahoo.com and Bryan D. Palmer, palmer@hsu.edu. Department of Chemistry, Henderson State University, 1100 Henderson Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71999
Experimental procedures are being explored by Henderson State University students in the preparation and characterization of Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) type superconductors. A 2007 report in the International Journal of Modern Physics questions the widespread assumption that the superconductivity of YBCO resides in the cuprate planes and gives evidence that it is the barium oxide planes that are responsible for the superconductivity. This project involves an investigation of the effects of barium oxide replacement in YBCO. Experimental procedures and results to date will be discussed.