Effects of graphite doping on critical current density and microstructure of MgB2 bulks by an improved Mg-diffusion method

abstractA series of graphite-doped MgB2 bulks with high density have been successfully prepared by an improved Mg-diffusion method in ambient pressure. The effects of graphite doping on lattice parameters, Tc, Jc and microstructure of MgB2 have been investigated. The results show that compared to the nano-C-doped or CNTs-doped MgB2, C is not easy to substitute B in graphite-doped MgB2. However, at the same C content, the graphite-doped MgB2 has a higher Jc. At 10 K and self-field, the Jc for MgB1.985C0.015 reaches 0.58 MA/cm2. For the MgB1.945C0.055, at 5 K, 7 T and 10 K, 6 T the Jc achieves 10,000 A/cm2 which is two orders of magnitude higher than that for the undoped sample. In addition to improving electron scattering and intergranular connectivity, the unreacted graphite in the graphite-doped MgB2 is proposed to be responsible to the excellent Jc properties of MgB2 in high fields, due to depressed grain growth and enhanced grain boundary flux pinning.