New Method for the Fabrication of Al-Stabilized Fe/MgB2 Wires

To employ Al stabilizer on Fe sheathed MgB₂ wire the hot aluminizing technique was used. The present technique allows us to form MgB₂ superconductor by an in-situ reaction technique and apply Al stabilizer simultaneously, because the processing temperature of MgB₂ is similar to the melting temperature of Al. Two types of Fe sheathed MgB₂ wires - "reacted" and "green" (unreacted)-were immersed in an Al bath to produce a layer of Al stabilizer on the surface of the superconductor. The magnetic and transport J_c(B_a) curves for both "reacted" and "green" Al/Fe- sheathed wires have been measured at 10 and 20 K and showed the same trend. The concept of Al stabilized Fe/MgB₂ coil fabrication is discussed.