THE YBCO-PBS HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING SYSTEM - FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS

Further investigations on the recently reported YBCO-PbS HTS system ar e reported. The system is found to have conducting BaPbO3 as a second phase, which fills the intergrain vacant spaces forming a composite-li ke microstructure. Thermoanalytical investigations revealed that PbS a ddition enhances the synthesis of the Y-123-phase and lowers the tempe rature of partial melting of this phase. which is essential to further reduce the voids. The metallurgical reaction occurring during sinteri ng is also determined and investigated. It is shown that these composi te superconducting materials have better normal-state, superconducting , and mechanical properties.