Abstract
By generalizing the isotope effect for elemental superconductors (SCs) to the case of pairing in the 2-phonon exchange mechanism for composite SCs, we give here an explanation of the well-known increase in the critical temperature (Tc) of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 from 95 K to 110 K and of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 from 105 to 115 - 125 K when Bi and Sr in these are replaced by Tl and Ba, respectively. On this basis, we also give the estimated Tcs of some hypothetical SCs, assuming that they may be fabricated by substitutions similar to Bi → Tl and Sr → Ba.