Influence of technological conditions on the superconducting properties of yttrium based rods

The influence of thermocapillary phenomena on the current-voltage characteristics of polycrystalline rods of Y_0.8Sm_0.2Ba₂Cu₃O_7-δ and Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7-δ-Y₂BaCuO₅ high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) compositions has been studied. A mechanism of the crystallization of HTSC materials based on yttrium and rare earth elements is proposed. Rods bearing a transport current above 60 A in the HTSC state have been grown. It is shown that the oxygen content at the interblock boundaries in textured yttrium-based rods is probably greater than in a separate grain.