The influence of precursor powders on the phase evolution, grain size and transport current properties of BSCCO 2223 Ag-sheathed tapes

The BSCCO 2273 Ag-sheathed tapes were prepared with spray-dried precursor powders, which are of different starting conditions. The J(c) in the short fully reacted tapes varied from 24 to 47 kA/cm(2) at 77 K and 0 T. The great improvement of J(c) in one tape, which is characterized by the large textured Bi-2223 grains, homogeneity of reactant and fewer tracks of second phases in the final superconducting matrices, is probably a result of optimizing the precursor powder. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.