Simple method for direct synthesis of YBa2Cu4O8 at atmospheric oxygen pressure

Abstract
A simple method for the synthesis of YBa2Cu4O8 superconductor at oxygen pressure of 1 atm is reported. The starting copper compound Cu2 (CN)2 makes it possible to synthesize near single phase material directly, without the use of reaction rate enhancers or wet chemical methods previously considered necessary. Resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements confirm the presence of bulk superconductivity at 81 K previously achieved only in YBa2Cu4O8 material synthesized at high oxygen pressure.