PROPERTIES OF LI-DOPED, POLYCRYSTALLINE, MELT-TEXTURED, BI-SR-CA-CU-O TAPES PREPARED BY POWDER-IN-TUBE PROCESSING

The effects of Li on Ag-sheathed Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x tapes has been studied by considering Li substitutions for Sr and Cu and Li additions to stoichiometric Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x. The materials were prepared by the powder-in-tube method. As the Li substitution reduces the melting temperature by as much as 160 K, careful control of the processing conditions is required to obtain superconductivity in Li-doped samples. Here we report on the effects upon J(c)(B,T) and upon T(c). J(c)(B) at 4.2 K and 20 K are reported. Due to a lack of phase purity, Li reduced the overall J(c) of the tapes. At 20 K, however, the Li-doped material is much less dependent upon B, indicating that Li substitution may provide enhanced pinning at high field.