Influence of the post-annealing cooling rate on the superconducting and mechanical properties of LFZ textured Bi-2212 rods

Laser floating zone textured Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi-2212) thin rods were manufactured and subjected to a two-step annealing process at 870 °C and 801 °C in air. It was found that the subsequent cooling process led to marked changes in electrical properties. Three cooling rates were tested: (i) quenching in liquid nitrogen, (ii) cooling in air inside an alumina tube and (iii) cooling inside the furnace. The results showed that the faster the cooling rate, the higher the normal state resistivity. The T_c distribution across the rods was also affected by the cooling rate, but no large differences were observed in the magnitude of the critical current at 77 K since the homogeneity of furnace-cooled samples compensated for the higher outer J_c values of fast-cooled ones. The mechanical properties (elastic modulus and flexure strength) were not influenced by the cooling rate, but the samples quenched in liquid nitrogen were often cracked by thermal shock. The elastic modulus and the flexure strength of the rods were deteriorated by the existence of an outer ring of compact, poorly textured material and by the large bubbles found in the central region of the rod. Samples processed by a two-step texturing process which reduced the thickness of the outer ring and eliminated the bubbles had better electrical and mechanical properties.