Since hardness is a quantitative measure of bulk mechanical properties, it can be used to examine the kinetics of crack propagation inside YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO or Y-123) ceramics. YBCO samples with a tetragonal phase were oxygenated at a range of temperatures (from 250 °C to 750 °C) for different times. For each oxygenation temperature and time, hardness was measured by the nanoindentation technique, to study the defects (macro-/microcracks and porosity) produced along the c-axis. These defects were visualized by optical microscopy. The main purpose of this study was to establish the oxygenation kinetics for YBCO samples, which were textured by the top-seeded melt growth technique. We studied the evolution of hardness perpendicular to the ab-plane, as measured by the nanoindentation technique at a maximum penetration depth of 150 nm. The results indicate that the nanoindentation technique can be used successfully to monitor oxygenation and to establish the kinetics of the process.

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