LOW-TEMPERATURE (T-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-950-DEGREES-C) PREPARATION OF MELT-TEXTURED YBA2CU3O7-DELTA SUPERCONDUCTORS

We report a new process to fabricate melt-textured YBa2Cu3O7-delta sup erconductors. The highest heating temperature during the melt-textured growth process is 950 degrees C, which is below the melting point of silver, thus making it possible to fabricate long wires for large-scal e applications using silver and well-textured YBa2Cu3O7-delta supercon ductor. We present microstructure data, as probed by SEM, that show th e layered platelet structure. The superconducting critical current den sity is 100 times better than that of sintered bulk YBa2Cu3O7-delta an d comparable to the results obtained by the existing melt-texture grow th technique.