Fabrication and characterization of dense YBa2Cu3O7−y superconducting wires by extrusion technique

YBa2Cu3O7−y superconducting powders were prepared by solid state reaction method and drawn in to uniform wires of different diameters (0.9–2.5 mm) and lengths up to 10 m by extrusion technique using an appropriate binder–plasticizer–solvent system. The density of the sintered wires was 92% with a high Tc and Jc of 91 K and 2014 A cm−2 (77 K, zero field) respectively. In the presence of applied magnetic field the transport Jc showed a marginal drop of about 25%.