Effect of strain on the critical current of Nb/sub 3/Sn and NbTi multifilamentary composite wires

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · AIP (Am. Inst. Phys.) Conf. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7230911

Ekin, J W; Clark, A F

The critical currents of flexible Nb/sub 3/Sn and NbTi composite wires have been observed to decrease as a function of strain. Characteristic samples of the data are presented along with a brief summary and intercomparison of the results for each wire type. In the NbTi wires the decrease commenced at strains of about 0.5 percent, but did not become appreciable (i.e., greater than approximately 5 percent) until strains exceeded about 1.5 percent. The effect is almost totally reversible and the magnitude of the decrease is not strongly dependent on sample configuration or stabilization material. In the Nb/sub 3/Sn composites the degradation in critical current is relatively much larger, becoming significant at strains ranging from 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent depending on the reinforcement technique used in the wires' construction. At high strains, the effect in Nb/sub 3/Sn is only partially reversible. Also in the Nb/sub 3/Sn composites, stress-induced resistivities as high as 10/sup -10/..cap omega..cm were observed at currents well below I/sub c/. This leads to significant Joule heating of the superconducting wire and ambiguities in the operational definition of ''critical current.''

• Research Organization: National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, CO
• OSTI ID: 7230911
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP (Am. Inst. Phys.) Conf. Proc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 34
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
656102 -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
STRAINS
TIN ALLOYS
TITANIUM ALLOYS