Plasma Synthesized Doped Boron Nanopowder for MgB2 Superconductors

Improved superconducting wire technologies are needed for the magnets that support high-energy-physics research accelerators. Controlled chemical doping of magnesium diboride (MgB2) has been shown to substantially improve superconducting properties to the levels required for high field magnets, but consistent dopant concentrations and homogeneity are difficult to accomplish through the usual route of solid state reaction and diffusion. Furthermore, a high quality source of doped boron must be established before the commercialization of MgB2 superconductors becomes viable. This project will investigate the gas-phase plasma synthesis of boron powder, in which dopants and boron are atomically mixed in the plasma, to produce nano-sized batches of doped boron powder. In Phase I, boron powder doped with carbon, titanium, and silicon carbide will be converted to MgB2 superconducting pellets and powder-in-tube wires, and the superconducting properties will be measured. The effect of powder particle size, purity, dopant concentration, and chemical homogeneity on the superconducting properties of MgB2 will be systemmatically investigated. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the Applicant: Chemically-doped MgB2 superconducting magnets should perform at least as well as NbTi and NbSn3 in high field magnetic fields and still offer an improvement over the latter in terms of operating temperature. These characteristics would make doped MgB2 an effective material for high-magnetic-field applications, such as particle accelerators, confined fusion, electric industry devices, and medical MRI devices. Cheaper and more efficient medical MRI devices could lower examination costs, find potential health problems earlier, and thus benefit society as a whole