Unveiling the nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates in internally oxidized Nb3Sn superconductors

Lee, Jaeyel; Mao, Zugang; Isheim, Dieter; Seidman, David N.; Xu, Xingchen

doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.176044

Unveiling the nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates in internally oxidized Nb₃Sn superconductors

Journal Article · Fri Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Journal of Alloys and Compounds

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.176044· OSTI ID:1988476

Lee, Jaeyel ^[1]; Mao, Zugang ^[2]; Isheim, Dieter ^[2]; Seidman, David N. ^[2]; Xu, Xingchen ^[1]

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

Here, we report on atomic-scale analyses of nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates and the microstructural evolution of internally oxidized Nb₃Sn wires for high-field superconducting magnet applications, utilizing atom probe tomography (APT), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and first-principles calculations. APT analyses reveal that oxygen and zirconium are already segregated at grain boundaries (GBs) in the unreacted Nb-1Zr-4Ta (at%) alloy prior to forming Nb₃Sn through reacting the Nb alloy with Sn and SnO₂. After forming Nb₃Sn, Zr oxide precipitates nucleate both at the Nb₃Sn/Nb heterophase interfaces and in the Nb₃Sn grains, driven by the small solubilities of Zr and O in Nb₃Sn compared to their value in Nb. A high number density (N_v) of Zr oxide nanoprecipitates is observed in the Nb₃Sn layers, ~10²³ m^-3, with a mean diameter <10 nm for a heat treatment at 625 °C. Quantitative APT and TEM analyses of the Zr oxide precipitates in the reacted Nb₃Sn layers elucidate details of the nucleation, growth, and coarsening processes of the Zr oxide precipitates in Nb₃Sn. First-principles calculations and classical nucleation theory are employed to study the nucleation of Zr oxide precipitates in Nb₃Sn and to estimate the maximum energy barrier and critical radius for nucleation. Our research unveils the kinetic pathways for nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates and the microstructural evolution of Nb₃Sn layers, which helps to understand and improve the superconducting properties of internally oxidized Nb₃Sn wires for use in high-field superconducting magnets.

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This content will become publicly available on Sat Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2025

Research Organization:: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); US Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359; N00014-0400798; N00014-0610539; N00014-0910781; N00014-1712870; ECCS-1542205; ECCS-2025633; DMR-1720139; DMR-2308691; DMR-0420532

OSTI ID:: 1988476

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2438614

Report Number(s):: FERMILAB-PUB-23-328-SQMS-TD; arXiv:2306.10866; oai:inspirehep.net:2670297

Journal Information:: Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 1005; ISSN 0925-8388

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
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nucleation and growth
Atom-probe tomography
Transmission electron microscopy

Unveiling the nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates in internally oxidized Nb3Sn superconductors

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Unveiling the nucleation and growth of Zr oxide precipitates in internally oxidized Nb₃Sn superconductors