Microstructural and magnetic properties of textured GdBa2Cu3Oy/Gd2BaCuO5 composites fabricated from Gd2BaCuO5 preforms

Bulk GdBa2Cu3Oy superconductors with uniformly distributed inclusions of micron-sized Gd2BaCuO5 (211) have been prepared by the infiltration and texturing of pre-shaped porous 211 preforms with liquid phases, in a high purity Ar atmosphere. The microstructural features at various stages of processing with particular emphasis on the nature of the 211 inclusions are studied. The superconducting properties like the transition temperatures and critical current densities of the resulting composites are discussed.