Microstructure and critical current density of zone melt textured YBa2Cu3O6+x

Zone melting has been used to produce texture in extruded YBa2Cu3O6+x wires. Highly aligned microstructures are produced with a-b planes oriented along the axis of the wires. Microstructural observations show that changes in alignment orientation can occur, and can result in the inability to carry a transport current. Pulsed transport Jc measurements on oriented samples indicate a zero field critical current density greater than 4×104 A/cm2.