59
Development of High Field, High Current Density Nb3Sn Conductor with Engineered Microstructures--Supercon, Inc., 830 Boston Turnpike, , Shrewsbury, MA 01545-3301; 508-842-0174
Mr. Terence Wong, Principal Investigator
Ms. Elaine Drew, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82676
Amount: $600,000
In order to achieve higher collision energy levels in the next generation of high energy particle accelerators, dipole magnets capable of higher magnetic fields (greater than 15 Tesla) are necessary. These, in turn, will require superconductors that can attain greater high-field critical current densities than the currently used niobium-titanium. This project will develop a high critical current density niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) conductor that uses the additions of dopants to the Nb3Sn phase. The dopants will refine the Nb3Sn microstructure, reducing the average grain size and increasing the grain boundary pinning force, which will allow for higher critical current densities. Phase I demonstrated that the powder-in-tube method of manufacture is a viable method for such dopant incorporation. Zirconium was added to both the tube and to the NbSn2 powder core. Heat treatments studies demonstrated the formation mechanism of Nb3Sn and led to the successful production of thick layers of fine grain Nb3Sn. Phase II will extend the range of dopants used in the powder-in-tube process to include scandium, yttrium, dysprosium, titanium, and aluminum oxide. Multifilamentary billets will be produced by hydrostatic extrusions. The most promising process will be then scaled up for manufacturing production-sized lots.
Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: A higher-performing Nb3Sn conductor should be used in high field dipole magnets for high energy physics. Other applications include their use in magnetic confinement systems for fusion reactors as well as in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) systems for chemical analysis.