NEW APPARATUS FOR CERAMIC TEXTURING WORKING UNDER UNIAXIAL-STRESS ANDIN A MAGNETIC-FIELD

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.