Systematic studies of the development of the superconducting propertie
s for air or Ar/O2(8%) preparation of 2223 ceramics via a sol/gel, sol
id state or melt process indicate that (i) 2223 has the tendency to gr
ow beneath a superficial 2212 layer, (ii) the growth rate is drastical
ly accelerated in a reduced oxygen atmosphere, (iii) the sol/gel techn
ique is superior to the solid state route, (iv) for melt processing th
e 2223 content of product and precursor is directly correlated.