New nanoscale artificial pinning centres for NbTi superconductors

The efficiency of new artificial pinning centres have been investigated in NbTi using the oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS) concept more typically applied to steels and Ni-superalloys. alloys containing a nanoscale Y2Ti2O7 particles successfully manufactured through powder metallurgy route by mechanical alloying Nb, Ti Y2O3 nanopowders high energy ball milling subsequent consolidation annealing. microstructure superconducting properties NbTi-Y2O3 characterised after each processing step. After 40 h milling, are dissolved into nanostructured matrix formed Nb Ti. On annealing at temperatures above 800 °C Y O react with from matrix, fine (<5 nm) precipitated. These NbTi-Y2Ti2O7 composites showed excellent performance, JC 5.2 kAmm?2 4.2 K, 5 T, considerably higher than Y2O3-free bulks same process wires conventional thermomechanical process. results suggest that ODS is promising manufacture give superior properties.