DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL MULTIFILAMENTARY SUPERCONDUCTORS USING SN1-XPBXMO6S8 CHEVREL PHASES FOR 20T + MAGNET APPLICATIONS

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNET APPLICATIONS IN THE 20T RANGE NEW SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED. EVEN THE HIGH-TC MATERIALS WILL REQUIRE OPERATING TEMPERATURES NEAR THAT OF LIQUID HELIUM TO MEET THESE CONDITIONS. PRIOR TO THE EXCITEMENT GENERATED OVER THE DISCOVERY OF THE HIGH-TC MATERIALS SEVERAL MAJOR ADVANCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHEVREL-PHASE MATERIALS HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN VARIOUS LABORATORIES AROUND THE WORLD. THESE INCLUDE; A REACTIVE HIP PROCESS FOR PRODUCING MULTIKILOGRAM QUANTITIES OF CHEVREL-PHASE MATERIALS, THAT SN1-XPBXMO6S8 YIELDS GREATLY IMPROVED HIGH-FIELD PERFORMANCE, AND A MONOFILAMENTARY STRAND DESIGN WHICH PROVIDE MECHANICAL REINFORCEMENT AND PRECOMPRESSION AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO COMBINE THOSE ADVANCES INTO A SINGLE FABRICATION STRATEGY WHICH WILL YIELD STABILIZED SUPERCONDUCTING WIRES HAVING A MULTIFILAMENTARY GEOMETRY AND MECHANICAL REINFORCEMENT TO BE SUITABLE FOR MAGNET APPLICATIONS IN EXCESS OF 20T.