COMPOSITE REACTION TEXTURED BI-2212 TWIN CURRENT LEAD STRUCTURES

Monolithic twin Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox, (Bi-2212) conductors have been fabricat ed on shaped MgO-LiF, stainless steel and Macer substrates for current lead applications. The composite reaction texturing (CRT) method give s considerable flexibility in design; a composite aligned MgO whisker/ Bi-2212 preform prepared by a polymer processing route can be shaped b efore reaction to match the critical current to the system temperature profile. Leads have been designed for conduction cooled zero field op eration between 4K and 77K. At 4K the critical current density (J(c)) is in excess of 10(5) Acm(-2), at 77K J(c) is self-field limited and v aries between 10(3) Acm(-2) and 3.10(3) Acm(-2). Leads 10-20cm in leng th were designed for currents of 200 and 1000A with thermal conduction losses;of less than 0.05W and flexural loads greater than 10N.