PROCESSABILITY AND METALLURGICAL REACTIONS DURING SINTERING IN YBCO-PBS SUPERCONDUCTORS

The YBCO-PbS superconductors have some interesting features, like bett er normal state and superconducting properties and enhanced shielding action towards magnetic fields. Present paper reports on the thermoana lytical and X-ray diffraction studies on these materials. The studies indicate that PbS addition enhances the synthesis of Y-123 Phase and l owers the temperature of partial melting of this phase which helps in reducing the voids. The metallurgical reaction occuring in sintering o f PbS doped YBCO superconductors has been investigated and in light of the findings an explanation is given for the improved properties of t hese materials.