Twin-roller quenching of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 melts

Abstract

Melts of the target composition Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 were produced and quenched in a specially designed twin-roller device. Quenching rates were estimated to be between about 0.2 ∙ 10^6 and 2 ∙ 10^6 K ∙ s^-1. In all quenching experiments mainly three sample shapes resulted, thin slivers, fibers, and clusters of sticking droplets. Slivers and fibers proved to be glassy, whereas the bulk of the clusters was crystalline. The slivers showed surface features due to nonuniform solidification processes. Thus wavy regions could be found or the surfaces were layered because of a rupturing during quenching. It could further be shown that an AI2O3 content of the melts does have some influence on the glass formation.