The purpose of the research to be performed on this RIA award is to develop a thorough understanding of the mechanism of chemical segregation of multicomponent, noble metal-bearing metallic precursors that occurs during the recently developed "cyclic oxidation" process used for the preparation of superconducting oxide/noble metal composites. Combined use of the oscillating oxidation process and oxide melt processing should yield fracture-tough superconducting composites with high transport critical current density in significant magnetic fields.
