University of Houston System

Venkatakrishnan Selvamanickam

Kamel Salama

A superconductor material having a current density, J, of from about 30,000 to about 85,000 amps/cm.sup.2 at zero magnetic field and 77.degree. K is disclosed. The 123 superconductor, of the formula L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. wherein L is preferably yttrium, is capable of entrapping sufficiently high magnetic fields and exhibits a low microwave surface resistance. The process of preparing the superconductor comprises compacting the bulk product, L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O, and then sintering the reaction product at a temperature between about 40.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. at a temperature of approximately 940.degree. C. The composition is then heated in a preheated chamber maintained at approximately 1090.degree. C. to about 1,200.degree. C. (approximately 1,100.degree. C. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta.) until it has been decomposed, and is then rapidly cooled to a temperature between about 10.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C. above its melting point, i.e. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub. 6 +.delta. a temperature of 1030.degree. C., and then is controlled cooled at a rate of 1.degree. C./hr until it reaches a temperature of about 20.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. a temperature of 980.degree. C. The composition is steadily held at this temperature for at least eight hours, and then cooled to a temperature of approximately 400.degree. C. below its melting point (for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. approximately a temperature of 600.degree. C.). The material is then slowly cooled by another 200.degree. C. and is then annealed in oxygen.

Process of preparing superconductive oxide complexes containing L, Ba,

A method of fabricating articles from segments of anisotropically conducting 123 superconductor such that the current transport properties of the article are comparable to those of the individual segments. The segments to be joined are examined to determine the orientation of the ab plane. Contact surfaces are formed where necessary and the segments are brought into contact and the ab planes are brought into parallel alignment. The contacted segments are elevated in temperature and static pressure is applied to accelerate reaction across the interface of the contact surfaces. The so-formed coherent article is then cooled at a controlled rate.

Method for joining superconductor segments to form a superconducting

A superconductor material having a current density, J, of from about 30,000 to about 85,000 amps/cm.sup.2 at zero magnetic field and 77.degree. K. is disclosed. The 123 superconductor, of the formula L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. wherein L is preferably yttrium, is capable of entrapping sufficiently high magnetic fields and exhibits a low microwave surface resistance. The process of preparing the superconductor comprises compacting the bulk product, L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O, and then sintering the reaction product at a temperature between about 40.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. at a temperature of approximately 940.degree. C. The composition is then heated in a preheated chamber maintained at approximately 1090.degree. C. to about 1,200.degree. C. (approximately 1,100.degree. C. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta.) until it has been decomposed, and is then rapidly cooled to a temperature between about 10.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C. above its melting point, i.e. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub. 6 +.delta. a temperature of 1030.degree. C., and then is controlled cooled at a rate of 1.degree. C./hr until it reaches a temperature of about 20.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. a temperature of 980.degree. C. The composition is steadily held at this temperature for at least eight hours, and then cooled to a temperature of approximately 400.degree. C. below its melting point (for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. approximately a temperature of 600.degree. C). The material is then slowly cooled by another 200.degree. C. and is then annealed in oxygen.

Oriented grained Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors having high critical currents

A superconductor material having a current density, J, of from about 30,000 to about 85,000 amps/cm.sup.2 at zero magnetic field and 77.degree. K. is disclosed. The 123 superconductor is of the formula L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. wherein L is preferably yttrium. The process comprises compacting the solid state reaction product of L.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O and then sintering the reaction product at a temperature between about 40.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. at a temperature of approximately 940.degree. C. The composition is then heated in a preheated chamber maintained at approximately 1090.degree. C. to about 1,200.degree. C. (approximately 1,100.degree. C. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta.) until it has been decomposed, and is then rapidly cooled to a temperature between about 10.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C. above its melting point, i.e. for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. a temperature of 1030.degree. C. and then is control cooled at a rate of 1.degree. C./hr until it reaches a temperature of about 20.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. below its melting point, i.e., for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. a temperature of 980.degree. C. The composition is steadily held at this temperature for at least eight hours, and then cooled to a temperature of approximately 400.degree. C. below its melting point (for Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6 +.delta. approximately a temperature of 600.degree. C.). The material is then slowly cooled by another 200.degree. C. and is then annealed in oxygen.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Venkatakrishnan Selvamanickam