Experimental and theoretical approaches on thermal and structural properties of Zn doped BSCCO glass ceramics

Thermal properties of Cu–Zn partially substituted Bi_1.8Sr₂Ca₂Cu_3.2-xZn_xO_10+δ (x = 0, 0.1 and 0.5) glass-ceramic systems have been investigated with the help of a differential thermal analyzer (DTA) by using Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) approximation. Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of the samples has been tested. The calculated values of activation energy of crystallization (E) and Avrami parameter (n) ranged between 306.1 and 338.3 kJ.mol^-1 and 1.29 and 3.59, respectively. Crystallization kinetics was compared following the partial substitution, before and after Zn doping of the sample. In addition, by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), structural properties of Zn doped BSCCO glass-ceramic samples were determined. Surface morphology of the samples was studied by SEM measurements. Lattice parameters and volume of the samples were calculated from the XRD measurements.