Jg. Noudem et al., NEW APPARATUS FOR CERAMIC TEXTURING WORKING UNDER UNIAXIAL-STRESS ANDIN A MAGNETIC-FIELD, Superconductor science and technology, 6(11), 1993, pp. 795-798
We have developed a new versatile apparatus combining the effect of ho
t pressing and the effect of magnetic field to texture HTSC (high-temp
erature superconductor) ceramics. The experimental set-up allows appli
cation of uniaxial stress up to 1100-degrees-C under a maximum pressur
e of 60 MPa, in a controlled atmosphere and a magnetic field of 8 T. W
e have optimized the cycle for stress application along with the therm
al cycle to produce highly-textured ceramics. In this paper, we descri
be the stress and thermal cycles used to texture Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (222
3 phase) ceramics. We present the physical and chemical characterizati
ons of the samples which show a strong degree of crystallite orientati
on.