Process for making superconducting PBSCCO and PBSCCO parts

US6051534A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force · US

Inventors

• Roy Rayne · New Carrollton, US
• Louis E. Toth · Washington, US
• Barry A. Bender · Alexandria, US
• Steven H. Lawrence · Fort Washington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 21, 1993
• Grant date: Apr 18, 2000
• Expiry date: Apr 21, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N60/0268

Abstract

A process for producing the 2223 phase of (Pb,Bi)SrCaCuO that is much faster than existing processes has the steps of: calcining a precursor powder mixture while maintaining intimate mixing of this precursor mixture by intermediate grindings during calcination; compressing the calcination product into a consolidated body; and heating the calcination product while maintaining intimate mixing of the calcination product, to form essentially phase pure 2223 (Pb,Bi)SrCaCu). A fast process for making a (Pb,Bi)SrCaCuO part with a high J.sub.c has the steps of: pressing calcined and reacted (Pb,Bi)SrCaCuO powder into a green body having the shaped of the part; and sintering the green body for a selected time, most preferably between 6 and 8 hours, that is long enough to establish superconducting electrical contact between grains of (Pb,Bi)SrCaCuO but short enough to prevent void formation or part shape distortion. The part made by this process has a high density, at least about 4 or 5 g/cm.sup.3.