Microstructural analysis of BSCCO-2212 wires for magnet application

Short samples of silver-sheathed BSCCO-2212 wires were quenched out of different stages of the sintering process. Microstructural studies of the phase formation have been performed. The development of the superconducting core within these wires exhibit pronounced void formation. In addition it is observed, that silver agglomerates between grains all over the ceramic core. These studies were used to optimize the preparation of BSCCO-2212 wires of medium length. For functional studies of insulation material, small test coils were built from these materials and tested in a Gifford-McMahon-cryocooler. Magnetic fields were determined by a Hall probe measurement in the temperature range of 28 to 77 K.