Synthesis of fine particle-YBCO superconductor by wet-type jet mill with methyl-ethyl-ketone

Fine particle-YBCO was produced from the high quality superconductor YBCO powders by wet-type jet mill in which YBCO particles collided in a high pressure flow of MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone:CH3COCH2CH3). In order to obtain fine and highly homogeneous particles of YBCO superconductor, YBCO powders were produced by crushing Y1Ba2Cu3Ox pellets with a pulverizer first, and then YBCO powders were pulverized by the wet-type jet mill in which maximum processing pressure is 1300 kgf/cm2 and maximum running speed in the orifice is 300 m/sec. As a result, when the mill is operated at a pressure of 1300 kg/cm2, the average particle size of ∼ 0.5 μm is obtained in 10 passes.