Journal of Materials Science, Vol.30, No.2, 459-464, 1995
High T-C Dual-Phase Ag-YBa2Cu3O7-Delta Composites Prepared by Selective Laser Sintering and Infiltration
Bulk porous samples of YBa2Cu3O7-x were made from powders by selective laser sintering, a near-net-shape forming technology requiring no part-specific tooling. The porous parts were densified by infiltrating silver into the pores, resulting in a dense, dual-phase superconducting composite. The laser-processing parameters were varied to obtain the optimum microstructure. The laser-sintered parts required oxygen annealing after infiltration to restore the orthorhombic, superconducting structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and T-c measurements indicated that some impurity phases were present in samples processed under aggressive laser conditions.