Highly textured bismuth-containing high-temperature superconductor ceramics obtained by uniaxial pressing in liquid medium: Fabrication and properties

Abstract

A new method of fabricating textured ceramics with a composition of Bi1.8Pb0.3Sr1.9Ca2Cu3Ox is described, according to which the initial low-density ceramics is subjected to uniaxial pressing in a liquid medium followed by drying and annealing. Analysis of the X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data show evidence for a high degree of texture in high-temperature superconductor ceramics fabricated using the proposed method. The results of magnetic measurements indicate that the obtained material possesses anisotropy of the magnetic moment for the magnetic field H oriented parallel and perpendicular to the direction of uniaxial pressing. The textured ceramics also show high diamagnetic response for H parallel to the c axis of grains, which makes these ceramics promising materials for practical applications.