Mechanical Properties of BSCCO Superconductor by Oliver-Pharr Method and Work of Indentation Approach

Abstract

Polycrystalline superconducting Bi-Pb-Gd-Sr-Ca-Cu-O bulk samples with nominal composition Bi1.7Pb0.3-x Gd (x) Sr2Ca3Cu4O12+y (x=0.00,0.01,0.05) were produced by the melt quenching method. The mechanical properties of the samples were characterized by depth sensing indentation technique under different peak loads ranging from 200 to 1800 mN. The experimental data were comparatively analyzed by the Oliver-Pharr method and a work of indentation approach. It was found that the work of indentation approach gave more reliable results because of the reducing pile-up effect. The results implied that both microhardness and reduced elastic modulus increased with increasing Gd substitution.