Fabrication and characterization of highly textured (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox superconducting ceramics using high magnetic field and cold isostatic pressing

Abstract

High textured (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox ceramics have been fabricated by aligning deflocculated flakes of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox suspended in an organic medium by means of a high de magnetic field (6 T) at room temperature followed by cold isostatic pressing. The proportion of the (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox phase in the precursor powder was carefully controlled, and the characteristics of the powder, such as size distribution and morphology, were determined. A high degree of grain alignment was found in the specimens after the magnetic alignment, although the bulk density of the materials was low. Cold isostatic pressing substantially increased the density of the magnetically prealigned specimens which also resulted in a slight decrease in the degree of grain alignment. This minor realignment was found to be due to the various kinds of processing defects that appeared in the specimens during compaction due to the grinding and cracking of the grains and their interlocking. The microstructural and superconducting properties of the sintered ceramic have been studied using texture goniometry, high resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ac magnetic susceptometry, and critical current measurements.