Large intergranular critical currents in joined YBCO monoliths

Abstract

Large-volume HTS tiles with low-angle grain boundaries are obtained by cutting melt textured YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) samples parallel to their c-direction and rejoining them with ErBa2Cu3Ox, applying a pressure of 0.5 MPa. This joining technique enables the preparation of large monoliths as well as of monoliths with complex shape which are required for technical application. Samples prepared by this technique exhibit high intergranular critical current densities up to 10(9) A/m(2) at 55 K and good mechanical connectivity.