High field composite superconductive material

Abstract

Abstract Ductile composite materials which are superconductive and which exhibit high-field properties, and methods of making such composite materials. The composite materials are ductile at room temperature, can be easily fabricated into coils, and can carry supercurrents at high current densities and in high fields. The composite materials are thermally and electrically stabilized and are in the form of a sponge-like matrix of a first metal characterized by ductility and good thermal conductivity. The continuous network of voids in the matrix is infiltrated with a continuous network of multiply connected filaments of a ductile superconductor. The average thickness of the superconducting filaments is of the order of magnitude of 100 Angstrom units or less. The composite materials are made by preparing a porous matrix of the ductile and thermally conductive metal, then infiltrating the voids in the matrix with a ductile superconductor, then reducing the infiltrated matrix, as by drawing, until the average thickness of the superconductor filaments is within the desired range. Certain properties of the composite materials are improved by precipitation hardening of the superconductor and by twisting.

Inventors

• 👤 J Daunt

Bibliographic Details