Influence of Nb alloying on Nb recrystallization and the upper critical field of Nb3⁢Sn

Paudel, Nawaraj; Tarantini, Chiara; Balachandran, Shreyas; Starch, William L.; Lee, Peter J.; Larbalestier, David C.

doi:10.1103/physrevmaterials.8.084801

Influence of Nb alloying on Nb recrystallization and the upper critical field of Nb₃⁢Sn

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Physical Review Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevmaterials.8.084801· OSTI ID:2481059

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Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Florida State Univesity
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States)
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)

Nb₃Sn conductors are important candidates for high-field magnets for particle accelerators, and they continue to be widely used for many laboratory and NMR magnets. However, the critical current density, J_c, of present Nb₃Sn conductors declines swiftly above 12-15 T. State-of-the-art Ta- and Ti-doped strands exhibit upper critical field, H_c2, values of ~ 24-26.5 T (4.2 K) and do not reach the FCC target J_c, which serves as the present stretch target for Nb₃Sn development. As recently demonstrated, to meet this goal requires enhanced vortex pinning but an independent and supplementary approach is to significantly enhance H_c2. In this study, we have arc-melted multiple Nb alloys with added Hf, Zr, Ta and Ti and drawn them successfully into monofilament wires to investigate the possibilities of H_c2 enhancement through alloying. H_c2(T) was measured for all samples in fields up to 16 T and some up to 31 T. We have found that all alloys show good agreement with the standard Werthamer, Helfand, and Hohenberg (WHH) fitting procedure without the need to adjust the paramagnetic limitation parameter (α) and spin-orbit scattering parameter (λ_so). The evaluation of dH_c2/dT near T_c, which is proportional to the electronic specific heat coefficient γ and the normal state resistivity ρn, allows a better understanding of the induced disorder introduced by alloying in the A15 phase. So far, we have observed that Hf alloying of pure Nb can enhance H_c2(0) by 3-4 T to ~28 T, while adding just 1 at. %Hf or Zr into a Nb4Ta base alloy can raise H_c2(0) to ~31 T. Very importantly we find that Hf and Zr raise the alloy recrystallization temperature above the usual A15 reaction temperature range of 650°C – 750°C, thus ensuring denser A15 phase nucleation in the Nb alloy grain boundaries, possibly leading to a more homogeneous A15 phase Sn content and refined A15 grain size. Furthermore, the potential for further advancements in Nb₃Sn properties is explored in relation to the recrystallization of the Nb alloy and the factors controlling the upper critical field.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012083

OSTI ID:: 2481059

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2473472

Journal Information:: Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 8; ISSN 2475-9953

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Influence of Nb alloying on Nb recrystallization and the upper critical field of Nb3⁢Sn

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Influence of Nb alloying on Nb recrystallization and the upper critical field of Nb₃⁢Sn