SupraMagnetics, Inc. has developed a low-cost Cu5Sn4 intermetallic for application to the Nb3Sn powder-in-tube (PIT) process. In addition, SupraMagnetics, Inc. has introduced a novel conductor architecture for advanced superconductors utilizing octagonal PIT subelements. The new design allows introduction of high strength components such as oxide dispersion strengthened copper within the superconductor wire matrix. A new Nb3Sn design with 120 octagonal PIT subelements incorporating high strength copper has been successfully fabricated. The introduction of the novel octagonal superconductor design is expected to improve the mechanical characteristics of Nb3Sn superconductors for high field magnet applications such NMR spectrometers. High magnetic fields impose large hoop stresses on the superconductor and therefore require careful design considerations. Further improvements of the performance characteristics of the Nb3Sn wire is expected to have potential cost benefits for such applications.
