IDENTIFICATION OF A 2ND PHASE IN LA2-XSRXCUO4 SUPERCONDUCTORS RESULTING FROM PRECURSOR LANTHANUM DEFICIENCY

In synthesizing La2-xSrxCuO4 ceramic superconductors through the solid state reaction of precursor powders, failure to account for hydration of La2O3 to La(OH)3 produced an overall La3+ ion deficiency. This deficiency resulted in the formation of a significant amount of a second phase, which was determined by X-ray diffraction to be an oxygen deficient perovskite of the type La2-xSrxCu2O5. © 1990.