Analysis of the precipitation process of secondary phase MgNi2.5B2 and superconducting properties in Ni-doped MgB2 bulk

A polycrystalline MgB2 sample with 4 at.% Ni powder addition has been synthesized by a solid-state reaction at 750 °C. Two different Ni powders, raw (40 μm) and ball-milled (10 μm) particles were selected to clarify the influence of the Ni particle size on the secondary phase MgNi2.5B2 formation and the critical current density Jc of MgB2 bulks. According to the investigation of the sintering, it was found that the smaller Ni particles may significantly decrease the formation temperature of the MgNi2.5B2 ternary compound to 550 °C. Combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and magnetic measurements, it was suggested that the addition of fine Ni particles led to MgNi2.5B2 inclusion precipitating along the spiral terraces of MgB2 grains and with small particles sizes. The unique microstructure is responsible for the smaller reduction in Jc, which partly eliminates the effect of weak links compared with the coarse Ni particles. Besides, the formation mechanism of the microstructures and the relative location of MgNi2.5B2 varying from cluster at the MgB2 grain boundaries to a screw arrangement around the MgB2 grains with the decrease of the Ni grain sizes were also discussed in detail.

► The morphology of MgNi2.5B2 was related with the Ni particle sizes.
► The coarse Ni produced MgNi2.5B2 clusters with large size at the grain boundaries.
► The concentration of clusters acted as weak links and reduced the intergrain Jc.
► The fine Ni promoted the formation of refined MgNi2.5B2 particles inside MgB2 grains.
► The precipitation of tiny MgNi2.5B2 particles had less effect on Jc.