DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF VERY FINE FILAMENTARY SUPERCONDUCTING NB-TI COMPOSITE

THE PRESENT INTEREST IN THE NB-TI COMPOSITE CONDUCTORS WITH VERY FINE FILAMENTS HAS DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF THE ADVENT OF PLANS FOR A SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER. THE FERMI ENERGY DOUBLER UTILIZED WIRE WITH 10 DIAMETER FILAMENTS; THE SSC WILL REQUIRE WIRE WITH 3 DIAMETER FILAMENTS. THE REDUCTION IN DIAMETER INTRODUCES SIGNIFICANT MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS IN REGARD TO PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF THE WIRE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT WHILE THE FERMI WIRE REQUIRED 2000 FILAMENTS; A SIMILAR SIZE WIRE FOR THE SSC WILL REQUIRE OVER 22,000 FILAMENTS. SUPERCON PROPOSES A NEW AND DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING INDIVIDUAL FILAMENTS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DOUBLE EXTRUSION OR THE LABORIOUS ASSEMBLY OF 20,000 RODS RODS INTO 20,000 TUBES. WE PROPOSE TO MAKE A WOVEN WIRE MESH WITH NB-TI WIRES RUNNING IN ONE DIRECTION, AND COPPER WIRES RUNNING IN THE PERPENDICULAR DIRECTION. KNOWING THE FINAL WIRE AND FILAMENT SIZES AND THE STARTING BILLET SIZE, SUITABLY SIZED WIRE CAN BE MADE INTO THE MESH. THIS MESH WOULD THEN BE WOUND WITH INTERLEAVED COPPER AROUND A COPPER ROD. THE NB-TI WIRES WOULD BE PARALLEL TO THE COPPER ROD. AFTER SUFFICIENT WRAPS, THE ASSEMBLY WOULD BE PLACED IN A COPPER CAN, COMPACTED, EXTRUDED, AND DRAWN TO WIRE. UNIFORM INDIVIDUAL FILAMENTS 3 IN DIAMETER SHOULD BE ACHIEVED WITH SIGNIFICANT COST ADVANTAGES COMPARED TO THE FERMI CONDUCTOR.