A STUDY OF HIGH T-C SUPERCONDUCTING CERAMIC METAL ALLOY COMPOSITES/

High-T-c superconducting ceramic YBa2Cu3O7-x/metal alloy composites we re fabricated. The metal matrix was a low melting point alloy of bismu th, lead, tin, cadmium and indium. The structure, DC electrical resist ivity, AC magnetic susceptibility, levitation and mechanical strength of the composites were investigated. The influence of filler content o n these properties was also studied. The composites behaved as a typic al metal with the resistivity increasing with temperature increase and , further, did not undergo the characteristic superconducting transiti on to zero resistance that is obtained with the ceramic superconductor . On the other hand, the diamagnetic properties of the superconducting ceramic were preserved in the composites. The values of diamagnetic s usceptibility and levitation force increase with the volume fraction o f the superconducting material. The flexural strength of the composite s is improved significantly in comparison with the ceramic superconduc tor.