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Using the Roeser–Huber equation, which was originally developed for high temperature superconductors (HTSc) (H. Roeser et al., Acta Astronautica 62 (2008) 733), we present a calculation of the superconducting transition temperatures, T c , of some elements with fcc unit cells (Pb, Al), some elements with bcc unit cells (Nb, V), Sn with a tetragonal unit cell and several simple metallic alloys (NbN, NbTi, the A15 compounds and MgB 2 ). All calculations used only the crystallographic information and available data of the electronic configuration of the constituents. The model itself is based on viewing superconductivity as a resonance effect, and the superconducting charge carriers moving through the crystal interact with a typical crystal distance, x. It is found that all calculated T c -data fall within a narrow error margin on a straight line when plotting ( 2 x ) 2 vs. 1 / T c like in the case for HTSc. Furthermore, we discuss the problems when obtaining data for T c from the literature or from experiments, which are needed for comparison with the calculated data. The T c -data presented here agree reasonably well with the literature data.

Superconducting foams of YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (YBCO) are proposed as trapped field magnets or supermagnets. The foams with an open-porous structure are light-weight, mechanically strong and can be prepared in large sample sizes. The trapped field distributions were measured using a scanning Hall probe on various sides of an YBCO foam sample after field-cooling in a magnetic field of 0.5 T produced by a square Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet. The maximum trapped field (TF) measured is about 400 G (77 K) at the bottom of the sample. Several details of the TF distribution, the current flow and possible applicatons of such superconducting foam samples in space applications, e.g., as active elements in flux-pinning docking interfaces (FPDI) or as portable strong magnets to collect debris in space, are outlined.

Crystallographic orientations of Y–Ba–Cu–O (YBCO) and embedded Y2Ba4CuMOx (M=Nb, Zr, Ag) nanoparticles in bulk, melt‐textured YBCO samples are studied by electron backscatter diffraction. Y2BaCuO5 particles exhibit no preferred orientation but have a strong negative influence on the matrix orientation. In contrast, the nanoparticles do not disturb the texture of the YBCO matrix. Depending on the preparation route, a different particle orientation with respect to the matrix is obtained. Untextured nanoparticles are formed by solid‐state reaction during the melt process by adding oxides (Nb2O5 or Y2O3) to the precursor powder. Preformed Y2Ba4CuMOx particles added to the precursor in the form of prereacted nanopowder exhibit a dominant single orientation related to the surrounding YBCO matrix.