Fabrication of Ba sub 2 YCu sub 3 O sub x by hot pressing and press forging.

Ba sub 2 YCu sub 3 O sub x ceramics have been hot pressed to yield microstructures with small amounts of preferred orientation and densities above 6.0 g/cm sup 3. Press forging yields microstructures with greater orientation and higher density. The direction of orientation is a c axis parallel to the pressing direction and the degree of orientation can be as high as 20. Problems with macrocracks and oxygen stoichiometry have been encountered and possible solutions are suggested. The effects of various pressing conditions on microstructure are discussed.