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Title: Fabrication of niobium superconductor alloys

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7099183

A method is described for making niobium-titanium or niobium-zirconium superconducting strip by compacting a mixture of finely divided niobium and finely divided titanium or zirconium, sintering the green compact, rolling the sintered product to substantially full density, heating the fully dense strip at 1400/sup 0/C to 1800/sup 0/C, cold working the resulting strip to a reduction of at least 35% in cross-sectional area, and then heat treating the cold worked product at a temperature between 400/sup 0/C and 800/sup 0/C, for at least 15 minutes. Titanium hydride or zirconium hydride powder may be used in place of the corresponding finely divided metal, in which case the green compact is heated at 400/sup 0/C to 750/sup 0/C to decompose the hydride to metal before sintering at 1400/sup 0/C to 1800/sup 0/C. All heating operations are carried out in an inert gas atmosphere, preferably in helium or, alternatively, in a vacuum. The final cold working is advantageously to a reduction in cross section of 80% or more, and the final heat treatment is preferably at 500/sup 0/C to 600/sup 0/C for about one hour. In the case of some of the zirconium containing alloys, if it is desired to obtain the highest current carrying capacity at high fields, this final heat treatment can precede, rather than follow the cold working operation.

Assignee:
Air Reduction Co., Inc.
Patent Number(s):
US 3472705
OSTI ID:
7099183
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 7 Apr 1967
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English