Co-Processed Ceramic Insulation for High Field Accelerator Magnets--Composite Technology Development, Inc., 1505 Coal Creek Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026-2782; 303-664-0394
Mr. John A. Rice, Principal Investigator
Dr. Naseem A. Munshi, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82766
Amount: $600,000

Some high performance superconducting magnets, such as wind-before-react systems, cannot be manufactured because of the temperature limits of current organic-based insulation materials. This limitation forces the magnet designer to accept either lower performance or higher manufacturing costs. A ceramic-based insulation that is stable at the processing temperatures would eliminate this problem. This project will develop a ceramic composite insulator that offers the ease of application and processing of conventional organic insulation but is able to withstand the same heat treatment as the superconducting wire itself. In Phase I, two new ceramic materials were identified which have the potential to meet existing performance requirements at a sub-stantially lower cost. No adverse chemical incompatibilities were observed between the wire and insulation, even at very high temperatures and over long periods of time. The thermal expansion and strain behavior of conductor/ceramic insulation composites proved to be better than with traditional epoxy insulation. Phase II will optimize the ceramic matrix and fabric to reduce fabrication costs. The mechanical, adhesion, thermal, and electric properties of the insulation will be measured, and its performance in conductor/ceramic insulation composite coil stacks will be characterized.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The high temperature stability of the ceramic insulation would eliminate complex coil fabrication steps, lowering production costs. Applications such as high field magnets, fusion magnets, and medical MRI instruments would become more viable with improved magnet processing, higher magnetic field strength, and greater reliability.