Preparation and characterization of silver sheathed BSCCO-2223 tapes

Critical current densities of 17000 A/cm/sup 2/ were achieved in short samples of Bi-2223/Ag tapes prepared by a conventional powder in tube technique. The preparation was varied to get an optimum grain size and texture of the microstructure. Microstructural examinations and inductive measurements of the transition temperature have been performed. The critical current and current-voltage characteristics have been studied in applied magnetic field up to 8 T and at temperatures between 4.2 K and 77 K. At temperatures close to 77 K and in fields up to 1 T the critical current density is strongly field dependent and obeys a potential law. At lower temperatures a quite different behavior is observed. In addition a small pancake-coil has been built by the wind & react method and tested at 77 K.<>