Transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of the early stages in the degradation of yba2cu3o7-δsuperconductor in water vapour

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Abstract
The initial stages of water vapour attack of the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ have been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The planar defects both of thickness 0·2 nm and of thickness 0·4 nm reported previously have been observed. The defects are sometimes associated with preexisting sites of strain in the material, but such strain is certainly not required for their nucleation, since often they occur in initially perfect material. A model for the thinner defect has been developed, which fits well with the TEM observations, as well as with bond valence calculations and previous work on the degradation of YBa2Cu3O7-δ by water. The implications of the model for that degradation process are discussed.