Commercialization of silver sheath HTS wires/tapes for applications in all-HTS superconducting magnets require significant improvements in their reliability, production yield, economy, and mechanical properties. Superconducting magnets are key components in Magnetic Resonance instruments. Their manufacturing and maintenance are major cost items. Fabrication of economical HTS conductors can lead to development of all-HTS magnet systems that can operate at temperatures of higher 30K, which are more user friendly and inexpensive to maintain. This project offers a materials processing solution that will lead to fabrication of HTS wires/tapes that: l) Use significantly less silver. 2) Have more uniform HTS cores. 3) Produce longer length wires/tapes leading to more production yield. 4) Have, significantly improved mechanical properties. The Phase I work will: A) Demonstrate reinforcement of silver matrix by metal-oxide fibers on prototype samples. B) Fabricate prototype reinforced HTS wires/tapes. C) Characterize mechanical and superconducting properties of prototype samples.
Availability of reliable and economical HTS wires/tapes will have a profound impact on many US scientific and commercial applications including: medical, biology, physics, electric power, energy, military, space, and transportation.
