Method of producing Pb-stabilized superconductor precursors and method of producing superconductor articles therefrom

A method for preparing lead stabilized precursor superconducting oxide powders comprising:

• a) atomizing an aqueous solution comprising metal cations of Bi, Pb, Sr, Ca and Cu in a carrier gas to form droplets, said carrier gas being selected from O.sub.2, N.sub.2, Ar, He and mixtures thereof, wherein said metal cations can be pyrolyzed to metal oxides, and wherein said aqueous solution contains said metal cations in a ratio capable of forming superconducting metal oxides;
• b) feeding said atomized solution and carrier gas through a heated reaction zone to heat said atomized solution to a temperature and for a time sufficient to pyrolyze said metal cations to form a precursor superconducting oxide powder substantially without vaporization and loss of lead from said powder, said precursor superconducting oxide powder comprising grains of crystalline or at least partially amorphous metal oxides having a size of less than about 1000 angstroms;
• and
• c) collecting said precursor superconducting oxide powder.