Net shape manufacturing of silver-sheathed high-Tc superconductive ceramic (YBaKCuO) strip by explosive compaction/cladding and rolling

Abstract Explosive compaction/cladding and subsequent rolling are employed to fabricate a sandwich metal/ceramic strip consisting of two silver plates and two intermediate high-temperature superconducting ceramic paths of the YBaCuO system. Macro- and micro-structural experimental observations regarding the quality of the product at various stages of the fabrication were evaluated using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, whilst the superconducting properties of the components produced and the oxygen content of the ceramic material were controlled by employing the d.c.-magnetization technique and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Post-compaction oxygen heat-treatment was not necessary because of the good retention capability of the compound during the fabrication process, resulting, therefore, in the conservation of the bulk superconducting properties.