Development of Nb₃Al Conductors and Coils

Takao Takeuchi
High Field Superconducting Wires Group

Mission

A RHQT (rapid-heating, quenching and transformation annealing) processed Nb₃Al is a candidate superconductor for advanced high-energy particle accelerators and fusion devices that would be operated under a huge electromagnetic force, since the RHQT Nb₃Al shows a large critical current density in high-fields and its excellent tolerance to stress-strain. The high field Superconducting wires group are developing the RHQT Nb₃Al conductor and coil as an alternative to Nb₃Sn.

The RHQ Apparatus for making bcc supersaturated solid-solution wire that would be transformed into Nb3Al.

Cross sectional image of stabilized Nb3Al strands developed.

Technical characteristic

• Good tolerance to strain, in comparison to the practical high-field superconductor of Nb₃Sn.
• Coil design under high stress revel (high-field superconducting compact-coil for research)
• Facile productivity of high current conductors (Rutherford cable, cable-in-conduit), in comparison to high-critical-temperature oxide superconductors (YB₂Cu₃O_x, Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x)