Morphology of Y2BaCuO5 and segregation of second phase particles in melt-textured YBaCu oxides with/without BaCeO3 addition

Abstract

Trapping behaviour of second phase (Y2BaCuO5 and BaCeO3) particles was investigated in undoped and BaCeO3-added YBaCu oxide prepared by the melt-texture processing. The segregation of second phase particles with a typical pattern is observed in both samples. The Y2BaCuO5 and BaCeO3 particles were trapped in the interior of textured YBa2Cu3O7−y domains and in the liquid phase remained at the high angle grain boundaries where textured YBa2Cu3O7−y domains met. The segregated pattern varied with a crystallographic orientation of the grown YBa2Cu3O7−y domain. This segregation appears to be related to the growth mechanism of the YBa2Cu3O7−y domain from the melt.