STRESS-STRAIN EFFECTS IN ALUMINA-CU REINFORCED NB3SN WIRES FABRICATEDBY THE TUBE PROCESS

In order to fabricate a large-bore, high-field magnet which achieves a low coil weight and volume, a high strength compound superconducting wire is required. For those demands we have developed the reinforced N b3Sn wire using alumina dispersion strengthened copper (alumina-Cu) as a reinforcement material and the tube process of the Nb3Sn wire fabri cation. The ductility study of the composites which consisted of the r einforcement, Nb tube, Cu, and Cu clad Sn brought a 1 km long alumina- Cu reinforced Nb3Sn wire successfully. Using fabricated wires measurem ents and evaluations of critical current density as parameters of magn etic field, tensile stress, tensile strain, and transverse compressive stress, and those of stress-strain curves at 4.2 K were performed. Th ey showed superior performance such as high 0.3% proof stress (240 MPa at 0.3% strain) and high maximum tolerance stress (320 MPa) which wer e two times as large as those of conventional Cu matrix Nb3Sn wire. Th e strain sensitivity parameters were obtained for the reinforced Nb3Sn wire and the Cu matrix one using the scaling law. Residual stress of the component materials caused by cooling down to 4.2 K from heat-trea tment temperature was calculated using equivalent Young's modulus, equ ivalent yield strength, thermal expansion coefficient and other mechan ical parameters. Calculated stress-strain curves at 4.2 K for the rein forced Nb3Sn wire and the Cu matrix one based on calculation of residu al stress, had good agreement with the experimental values.