EFFECTS OF COLD-ROLLING AND THERMAL ANNEALING ON SUPERCONDUCTING PROPERTIES OF 2212BI-SR-CA-CU-O AG TAPES/

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes were fabricated by doctor -blade coating of a BSCCO 2212 dispersion in Butvar-B76 binder, and th ermal processing in a three-zone belt furnace. The crystalline propert ies of these HTS layers were studied by X-ray diffraction techniques. The superconducting properties of HTS tape conductors were examined us ing AC susceptometry. The effects of sintering, cold rolling, and ther mal annealing were monitored by following the temperature dependence o f the AC susceptibility and process-induced changes in the crystalline microstructure. A significant degradation of the superconducting prop erties due to cold rolling has been observed. This degradation is attr ibuted to inferior intergranular coupling and appears to be reversible . Thermal annealing of the cold-rolled samples leads to the full recov ery of the AC susceptibility versus temperature response.