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Synthesis of bulk MgB 2 superconductors by pulsed electric current
Author(s) -
Locci A. M.,
Orrù R.,
Cao G.,
Sanna S.,
Congiu F.,
Concas G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.10846
Subject(s) - spark plasma sintering , levitation , superconductivity , limiter , materials science , sintering , current (fluid) , current density , work (physics) , critical current , electric current , condensed matter physics , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , engineering physics , metallurgy , chemistry , magnet , electrical engineering , thermodynamics , physics , quantum mechanics , chromatography , engineering
A preparation method to simultaneously synthesize and consolidate bulk MgB 2 superconductors from Mg and B commercial elemental powders by means of the spark plasma sintering technique is reported. The influence of process parameters on sintering process dynamics as well as product characteristics, determined by transport and magnetic measurements, is investigated. The superconducting properties of the obtained samples, and particularly the critical current density, are comparable or better than those corresponding to other MgB 2 preparation techniques. Thus, the superconductive properties of the bulk MgB 2 materials synthesized in this work are suitable for selected applications, such as magnetic levitation, magnetic screening, and fault current limiters. It should be finally noted that the proposed method represents a particularly rapid preparation route as compared to other techniques. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006