YBa2Cu3Ox superconductor was prepared by directional solidification Of Y2BaCuO5-BaCuO2-CuO-Pt powder mixture. Pt doping produced a microstructure which contained fine Y2BaCuO5 particles in textured YBa2Cu3Ox grains. The same effect was not observed when a Pt wire was inserted in the sample instead of powders. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that a compound containing Ba-Cu-Pt was formed around the wire as well as around the powders. The compound was identified as Ba4Pt1+xCu2-xO9-z.