RAPID FORMATION OF THE TEXTURED (BI,PB)(2)(SR,CA)(4)CU3OY SUPERCONDUCTOR BY MULTIPLE PRESSING AND SINTERING PROCESS

A superconducting (Bi,Pb)(2)(Sr,Ca)(4)Cu3Oy material has been prepared by the oxalate coprecipitation method. The high-Tc 110 K phase was ef fectively promoted by application of an intermediate grinding and pres sing between the sintering heat treatments. The powder X-ray diffracti on shows the existence of single high-Tc and high-textured microstruct ures with strong (001) reflections within a short sintering time (18 h ). The morphology of the sintered samples was examined by scanning ele ctron microscopy (SEM). Also, the kinetics of the formation of the hig h-Tc phase were investigated by the isothermal method. A possible mech anism of the formation of high-Tc 2223 phase was proposed.