Fully dense MgB2 superconductor textured by hot deformation

Abstract Bulk textured MgB 2 material of nearly full density showing a weak c -axis alignment of the hexagonal MgB 2 grains parallel to the pressure direction was obtained by hot deformation of a stoichiometric MgB 2 pellet prepared by a gas–solid reaction. The texture of the material was verified by comparing the X-ray diffraction patterns of the hot deformed material with isotropic MgB 2 powder. A small, but distinct anisotropy of the upper critical field up to H c 2 a , b / H c 2 c ∼1.2 depending on degree of texture was found by resistance and susceptibility measurements. No anisotropy of the critical current density determined from magnetization measurements was found for the textured material.