HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS FOR POWER-CABLES

Six major European electrical companies have been collaborating togeth er in a precompetitive BRITE/EURAM research project targetting the app lication of high T(c) superconductors in power cables and other high-c urrent applications. The main objectives that have been addressed are: (1) identifying new superconducting phases with superior properties f or the intended applications, including improved flux pinning at liqui d nitrogen temperature; and (2) devising and improving techniques for fabricating experimental conductors with a high degree of texturing. T he results obtained to date include the discovery of a new (Pb,Cd)- 12 12 superconducting phase and the fabrication and assessment of experim ental conductors incorporating YBCO and BSCCO phases. Some of these sa mples provide encouragement for high-current applications.