Relatively pure YBCO was first synthesized by heating a mixture of metal carbonates at temperatures between 1,000 and 1,300 K, resulting in the reaction: 4BaCO₃＋Y₂(CO₃)₃＋6CuCO₃＋(1/2_-x)O₂ → 2YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x＋1/3CO₂. Modern syntheses of YBCO use the corresponding oxides and nitrates. The superconducting properties of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x are sensitive to the value of x, i.e., its oxygen content. Only those materials with 0≤x≤0.65 are superconducting below Tc, and when x ~ 0.07, the material superconducts at the highest temperature, i.e., 95 K, or in the highest magnetic fields, i.e., 120 T and 250 T when B is perpendicular and parallel to the CuO₂ planes, respectively. In addition to being sensitive to the stoichiometry of oxygen, the properties of YBCO are influenced by the crystallization methods applied. YBCO is a crystalline material, and the best superconductive properties are obtained when crystal grain boundaries are aligned by careful control of annealing and quenching temperature rates. However, these alternative methods still require careful sintering to produce a quality product. New possibilities have arisen since the discovery of trifluoroacetic acid, a source of fluorine that prevents the formation of undesired barium carbonate (BaCO₃). This route lowers the temperature necessary to obtain the correct phase at around 700℃. This, together with the lack of dependence on vacuum, makes this method a very promising way to achieve a scalable YBCO bulk.

This aim of this study was to develop a process for creating bulk single-crystal YBaCuO superconductors in a high magnetic field. To support the bulk unidirectional growth of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y, SmBa₂Cu₃O_7-y seeds were planted inside YBaCuO composites and samples were produced by melting, enabling the growth of two YBaCuO superconductors. Due to the magnetism generated inside the superconductor of the upper sample, the magnetization inside the superconducting single crystals was evenly distributed, the sharpness of the induced magnetic force was improved, and the superconducting magnetization were significantly improved. This approach is widely applicable for the production of superconducting wires and current leads used for DC power breakers.

In this research, the development of fabrication technique of bulk YBaCuO superconductors for application was studied. In fluence of BaZrO₃ addition on magnetization characteristics of thermal pyrolysis textured YBaCuO superconductor was investigated. Fine BaZrO₃ particle were dispersed within the textured YBaCuO matrix by means of the thermal pyrolysis processing. Magnetic levitation force for YBaCuO superconductors were obtained using Nd-B-Fe permanent magnet, at 77 K and at the magnetic field from 0 to 5.3 K gauss. In the unadded superconductor and 5 wt% BaZrO₃ addition, anomalous magnetization behavior, which is characterized by the intermediate magnetic field, was observed at 77 K. Critical current density was about few hundreds A/㎠ and the magnetic characteristics increased slightly by addition of BaZrO₃ powder. Maximum magnetic force was obtained in the YBaCuO superconducting bulk with 3 wt.% BaZrO₃ addition.

For the practical application of a YBCO superconductor bulk, the superconductor bulk magnet with high magnetic field on a large area surface should be fabricated. To make this, YBCO single crystal bulks with fine Y2BaCuO5(Y211) particles have been prepared by the top-seed melt growth(TSMG) method with YBa2Cu3Ox, Y2O3, and CeO2 mixing precursor. By using Y2O3 instead of Y2BaCuO5 as precursor, the manufacturing process became simpler and more economical. The microstructures, trapped field and critical current density of the various conditioned YBCO bulks have been observed, analyzed and measured. The different characteristic values of the several samples have been analyzed from the viewpoint of their microstructures. We have developed a 8x12 cm size superconductor bulk magnet, up to 3 T class, by using the 4 T class-high field superconducting magnetizer and confirmed the applicability of the transmission level circuit breakers by measuring the strength and speed of the superconductor bulk magnet actuator.