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A series of Ba8Ga16Si30 clathrate samples were prepared by arc melting, ball milling, acid washing, and spark plasma sintering (SPS). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the lattice of the Ba8Ga16Si30 samples expanded as the SPS temperature was increased from 400 to 750°C. Lattice contraction recurred when the SPS temperature was further increased in the range of 750–1000°C. This phenomenon can be explained by the variation of Ga content in the lattice. The thermoelectric figure of the merit ZT value of clathrates increased with the increase in SPS temperature and reached a maximum when the sample was subjected to SPS at 800°C. A further increase in SPS temperature did not contribute to the improvement of ZT. The variation of the lattice parameter a vs. SPS temperature T was similar to the variation observed in the ZT-T curve.

119Sn Mossbauer research is carried out on (La1-xSrx),Cu1-xSnxO4(x = 0.075 and 0.110) superconductors which are designed under a new concept. The Mossbauer spectra results show that Sn occupies Cu position in Sn4+ state, and there is no Sn2+ ion occupying La position. The local lattice deformation near Sn4+ site is small, but displays an increasing tendency with Sn doping. For La2CuO4 matrix, the simultaneous dopings of Sr/Sn induce holes and electrons on CuO2 layer in a new mechanism which influences superconductivity. Under a new mechanism of extra oxygen, the extra oxygen effect of Sn-doping on superconductivity is discussed

The simultaneous measurements of Doppler-broadened radiation spectra and lifetime spectra were performed by positron annihilation analysis on Eu-doped Y-123 superconductors. When the doping concentration reaches 30% and 70%, the density of defeat and its stress-field reach the maximum for (Y1-x Eu x )Ba2CU3O7-y The pinning mechanism of such superconductors is discussed, and the results support the stress pinning mechanism.

The layered oxide LiVO2 recently has received more attention due to its interesting structural and magnetic behaviors involving the two-dimensional magnetic frustration in these systems. We synthesized a series of F-doped LiVO2 samples, and reported the F-doping effect on the structure and transition temperature Tt. The samples LiVO2-xFx (x=0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurement. The structural analysis shows that with increasing x, the ratio of lattice parameter c/a increasing, i.e. in the a-b plane the lattice is compressed while in the c-axis direction the lattice expands. The DSC measurements show that a first-order phase transition happens at around 500 K, and the thermal hysteresis around phase transition temperature Tt increases with increasing x. Substitution of O with F ions results in a change of two dimensional characteristics and the distortion of the VO6 block in structure, which significantly influence the magnetic ordering transition temperature Tt.

57Fe Mossbauer measurement have been performed in the Fe-doped high-Tc phase of Bi-system superconductor. Isomer shifts display presence of Fe3+ ions in square and pyramidal coordinations. Regarding the high-Tc superconductors as primarily ionic crystals and using effective valence and point charge model, we have calculated the electric field gradients for Fe as a replacement for Cu in the high-Tc phase. Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

Mossbauer measurements were performed in the temperature range from 77 to 300K. Temperature-dependent57Fe Mossbauer recoil-free fraction in high-Tc superconducting phase of Bi-system display cvidence of a softening in lattice vibrations, which appears at T