Production and processing of (Bi,Pb) SCCO superconductors

A method for preparing BSCCO-2223, comprising:

• providing a mixture of raw materials comprising constituent metallic elements in substantially stoichiometric proportions corresponding to a lead (Pb)-containing BSCCO-2223 oxide superconductor;
• heating said mixture at a selected processing temperature in a selected oxygen partial pressure for a selected time period thereby obtaining a reacted product comprising a dominant amount of an orthorhombic BSCCO-2212 phase and an alkaline earth cuprate phase;
• while preventing formation of an undesirable secondary phase selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth bismuthates and alkaline earth plumbates;
• and
• heating said reacted product under conditions sufficient to form BSCCO-2223, such that formation of the undesirable secondary phase is prevented.

The method of fabrication of an elongated BSCCO superconducting article comprising:

• providing a mixture of raw materials comprising constituent metallic elements in a ratio corresponding to a superconducting lead(Pb)-containing BSCCO-2223 material;
• heating said mixture at a first selected processing temperature in an inert atmosphere a first selected oxygen partial pressure for a first selected time period thereby obtaining a reacted product comprising a dominant amount of an orthorhombic BSCCO-2212 phase and an alkaline earth cuprate phase, while preventing formation of an undesirable secondary phase selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth bismuthates and alkaline earth plumbates;
• introducing said reacted product into a metal sheath, thereby forming a composite;
• deforming said composite, thereby forming an elongated product;
• and
• heating said elongated product at a second selected processing temperature in an atmosphere with a second selected oxygen partial pressure for a second selected time period, thereby converting at least a portion of said orthorhombic BSCCO-2212 phase to a superconducting BSCCO-2223 material.