ISSN:
1089-7550
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The microstructure of Mo-sheathed Chevrel-phase superconducting wires was investigated by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Excess Pb forms small nodules (10–30 nm) on the Chevrel-phase grains or wetting layers between the Chevrel grains. The critical current density Jc is strongly reduced when wetting layers are present. However, second-phase Mo exists as islands as large as 2–10 μm and has little harmful effect on Jc. Although some Mo-sheathed wires sintered at 700 °C show relatively high Jc ( ≥ 2 × 108 A/m2 at 8 T), the Chevrel phase in these wires has a very porous microstructure, and the Jc values measured with a magnetic field parallel to the current, Jc((parallel)), were only about 10% higher than the Jc values measured with a field perpendicular to the current, Jc(⊥). This clearly suggests that the transport current flows percolatively in these wires. Much denser microstructures were obtained by hot-isostatic-pressing (HIP) treatments at 1200 °C, and very high Jc values, (approximately-greater-than) 5 × 108 A/m2 at 8 T and 9.3 × 107 A/m2 at 23 T, which are of the order of the highest Jc values so far reported, were observed. High-resolution SEM observations of HIP'ed wires demonstrate that the interconnectivity between the Chevrel grains was much improved.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.349525
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