YBCO Fibers from Solution Approach - A New Concept

The most efficient way to make high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires, such as those needed for fusion reactors, is to make the materials into small diameter fibers for flexible filaments that can bundle into a cable. If the grains in the fiber can be aligned, then high current density, Jc and, in particular, high energy density, Je, can be expected. Moreover, a low aspect ratio (i.e., an aspect ratio of approximately 1:1) for stand-alone YBCO fibers would provide extremely low AC loss, as the substrate magnetic and eddy current losses would be eliminated. In preliminary experiments, it has been demonstrated that YBCO fibers can be synthesized by pulling the fiber from a highly viscous MTFA sol, followed by burnout and conversion. This project will further develop this new approach for the fabrication YBCO fibers to produce fibers with oriented elongated grains for low-AC-loss and high Je multifilament cable applications. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardeeA fiber HTS conductor with an aspect ratio of 1:1 would be ideal for the production of multiple-filament superconducting cable with extremely low AC loss and high Je, providing major benefits for applications where low Je and AC loss are the major concerns, for example, motors, transformers, and generators.