Fabrication on a laboratory scale and mechanical properties of Cu-Nb-Sn multifilamentary superconducting composite wires produced by cold powder metallurgy processing

Abstract

Superconducting Cu-Nb-Sn multifilamentary composites are fabricated inexpensively on a laboratory scale. Small (40 μm) particles of Cu and Nb are compacted, placed in a suitable external jacket for containment, then elongated at room temperature to form a multifilamentary circular wire. Processing yields a multifilamentary Cu-Nb-Sn superconductor with high overall critical current densities Jc at high magnetic fields. Measurements of the mechanical properties show no degradation of Jc for strains greater than 1% for composite made with a large areal reduction ratio.