The role of Ag additions in the microstructural evolution and related mechanical properties of YBCO has been studied. Various amounts of Ag have been added to YBCO by two different mixing techniques, i.e. in the form of metallic Ag powder and solution. The strength and fracture toughness of YBCO specimen increased with increasing Ag content, probably because of strengthening mechanisms resulting from Ag addition. In addition, YBCO-Ag composites showed higher values of strength and fracture toughness when Ag was added in the form of solution compared with those when it was added in the form of metallic Ag powder. Specifically, an addition of 10 vol% Ag, made by mixing with metallic Ag powder, increased strength from 88 to 116 MPa and fracture toughness from 1.6 to . Corresponding improvements in strength and fracture toughness were 128 MPa and , respectively, when YBCO was mixed with solution. The better mechanical properties of the YBCO-Ag specimen mixed by the solution method are believed to be due to the microstructure of more finely and uniformly distributed Ag particles. Furthermore, addition of Ag did not have an adverse effect on the critical current density of YBCO superconductors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.