Dataset accompanying the paper entitled ‘Improved trapped field performance of single grain Y-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors containing artificial holes’, which measured the tensile strength of standard and thin-wall (i.e., with artificial holes) YBCO samples then subsequently confirmed the effect of the strength improvement on the trapped field capability of the different sample types.

The dataset contains results obtained using the following techniques: (i) the Brazilian test to measure tensile strength of cylindrical samples, (ii) optical microscopy to measure sample porosity and (iii) a 12-tesla high-field magnet to magnetise and break the samples when they were superconducting.

Explanations of figures containing experimental results:

Fig. 3b shows the ramp rates used to magnetize the samples. The rates were fixed for each field range.

Fig. 4 shows the strength of various sample types (i.e. standard, thin-wall) measured using the Brazilian test.

Fig. 5a shows the optical images taken at half height across each sample, and Fig. 5b shows the porosity analysis on these images using ImageJ software.

Fig. 6a and 6b show the performance of the two sample types, i.e. field trapped by the sample as a function of the applied field, showing where the sample failed. The samples were magnetized using the 12-tesla magnet.

Fig. 7b shows the 2D field profile measured on the surface of the thin-wall sample using an array of hall sensors.

Fig. 8 shows the field measured along the diameter of the thin-wall sample when magnetised using 11 T at 30 K.