Recent Progress in superconducting Materials

There are now six broad classes of high temperature superconductors typified by: 1. YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 7 2. Bi sub 2 Sr sub 2 CaCu sub 2 O sub 8 3. T1 sub 2 Ba sub 2 Ca sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 10 4. Ba sub 1-x K sub x BiO sub 3 5. Pb sub 2 Sr sub 2 Y sub .5 Cu sub .5 Cu sub 3 O sub 8. The discovery of these materials and the continued prospects for the discovery of others has profoundly changed solid state chemistry, ceramic science, and the prospects for superconducting applications. The materials chemistry involved in the discovery of these materials and their properties will be reviewed.