Influence of silver doping on the microstructure and magnetic properties of YBa2Cu3O7/Ag composites

This paper describes the synthesis of a series of bulk samples with differe nt silver content covering the whole range up to very high loadings (0 - 80 wt.%) Although such high loadings are probably less relevant to fundamenta l phenomena they may have very high industrial significance. They are for i nstance required to increase the thermal conductivity of bulk materials use d in high power magnetron sputtering deposition techniques. The morphologic al characteristics of Ag-containing composites arp discussed are related to their superconducting properties which have been studied in detail using A C and DC susceptometry at high and low field. The results exemplify the rol e of silver as synthetic flux at high temperatures and as mediator of oxyge n transport at lower temperatures in addition to its role of enhancer of me chanical and thermal properties.