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Effects of strain on the superconducting properties of niobium-tin conductors

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5659869
Typical Nb/sub 3/Sn multifilamentary superconducting composites produced by the bronze diffusion process have repetitive fiber elements of niobium embedded in a bronze matrix, with a Nb/sub 3/Sn reaction zone serving as the interfacial layer between the two. Clusters of these units are surrounded by tin diffusion inhibitors, such as tantalum, and placed inside a second external copper matrix. The strain degradation of the critical current density has been both analytically and experimentally investigted in an inversion of this configuration. The new geometry consists of bronze filament cores inside of niobium tubes, with the usual Nb/sub 3/Sn interface. Since the niobium acts as a diffusion barrier, copper can be directly utilized as the embedding matrix, eliminating the motivation for tantalum addition. Analytic results were obtained from a computer program (MAXIMSUPER) which evaluates the three-dimensional strain fields on the Nb/sub 3/Sn zones in a cylindrical repeateing element of the composite due to both residual (thermal contraction) and applied axial loading. Investigations were performed to ascertain additional information on the connection between the cubic to tetragonal martensitic phase transformation and the phenomenon of superconductivity in Nb/sub 3/Sn. Results indicate that the martensitic phase transition temperature T/sub m/, increases with increasing compressive strains. Critical parameters, such as H/sub c2/ and T/sub c/ are thought to vary according to a two-level state model which expresses the Nb/sub 3/Sn cubic-to-tetragonal, martensitic-phase transformation as being strain sensitive. Good agreement between the MAXIMSUPEr predictions and experimental results indicates that the program may be suitable for superconducting composite design applications.
Research Organization:
Washington Univ., Seattle (USA)
OSTI ID:
5659869
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English