Development of Nb tube processed Nb[sub 3]Al multifilamentary superconductor

Journal Article · Thu Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States)

OSTI ID:6734993

Takeuchi, T; Kuroda, T; Itoh, K; Kosuge, M; Iijima, Y; Kiyoshi, T; Matsumoto, F; Inoue, K ^[1]

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1. National Research Institute for Metals, Ibaraki (Japan)

The Nb tube process has recently been developed at NRIM (Japan) for fabricating Nb[sub 3]Al multifilamentary superconductors containing more than one million continuous ultrafine filaments of less than 0.1 [mu]m diameter. The adjustment of hardness of Al cores relative to Nb matrix by alloying Al cores with additives of Mg, Ag(-Ge), Cu(-Ge), Zn, etc. improved remarkably the cold workability of Nb/Al composites. Wires heat treated below 1000[degrees]C show superior properties to a commercial multifilamentary (Nb,Ti)[sub 3]Sn conductor: (1) higher J[sub c] (4.2 K) (1.5 [times] 10[sup 9] A/m[sup 2] at 10 T), (2) smaller degradation in J[sub c] with mechanical strain, and (3) smaller ac loss (resulting from a smaller effective superconducting filament diameter: about 2 [mu]m). Furthermore, sensitivity to irradiation is nearly the same as that of (Nb,Ti)[sub 3]Sn. Other techniques to produce Nb[sub 3]Al are unsuitable for developing a conductor with multifilamentary structure, and thereby the Nb tube processed Nb[sub 3]Al multifilamentary conductors is the best available for fusion reactor magnets. 36 refs., 19 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6734993
• Journal Information: Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States) Vol. 11:1; ISSN JFENDS; ISSN 0164-0313
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665412 -- Superconducting Devices-- (1992-)
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700430* -- Fusion Technology-- Magnet Coils & Fields-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
FABRICATION
FILAMENTS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
NIOBIUM BASE ALLOYS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SUPERCONDUCTING WIRES
WIRES