In order to investigate the effects of Nd substitution for Y on the critical current density for YBa 2Cu 3O 7- δ (Y123)

precursors with nominal composition Y 1- x Nd x Ba 2Cu 3O 7- δ were prepared by means of sol gel technique. The precursors were then synthesized using Melt Texture Growth (MTG) technique. It was found that the melting temperature ( θ m) increased with x

and the CuO content increased with Δ θ = θ max - θ m

( θ max is the highest holding temperature in the process). The CuO played a role of weak links that lowered the intergrain critical current density. The degree of texture and its domain size

on the other hand

increased with x at certain texture growing temperature. The competition between the increase of pinning force and the weak links leaded to a maximum of the total critical current density at a given Nd content.