Stronger high-field magnets (above 15 tesla), needed for future high energy physics experiments, will require higher performance superconductors. Melt-quenched superconductors made from niobium-aluminum-germanium (Nb-Al-Ge) strands could meet this need, but the cost of their manufacture must be reduced to a cost close to that of conventional niobium-tin wires. Because powder metallurgy approaches have shown promise to produce conductors with very high critical currents (Jc) at high magnetic fields, this project will combine a Nb-Al-Ge powder metallurgy approach with a continuous tube forming and filling process to achieve a low manufacturing cost for the superconductor. Phase I will optimize the Nb-Al-Ge powders to demonstrate the manufacturability of the conductor as well as the expected high Jcs. Primarily monofilament wires will be made, and the issues for multifilament wires will be explored. Multifilament wires will be made in Phase II, and they will be characterized and tested in high fields.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Although the largest market will be for accelerator and fusion magnets, high field magnets (above 15 tesla) should also be applicable to MRI, NMR, high-gradient magnetic separators, and superconducting magnet energy storage applications.
