Enhancement of the irreversibility field in bulk MgB₂ by TiO₂ nanoparticle addition

MgB2 samples doped with TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared and the effect of TiO2 addition on the superconducting transition temperature (T-c), irreversibility field (H-irr) and critical current density (J(c)) were investigated. It is found that the hexagonal lattice parameters a and c decrease with TiO2 doping. Tc decreases gradually from 38.2 to 37.8 K as the TiO2 content increases from 0 to 15 wt%. The H-irr increases at 20 K from 4.3 to 4.9 T as the TiO2 content increases from 0 to 10 wt%, and at the same temperature J(c) increases from 450 to 4250 A/cm(2) at 4.2 T. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.