Improved Sn1.2Mo6S8 wire preparation technique

Enhanced techniques of preparing cold-worked Sn_1.2Mo ₆S₈ wires with Ta and Nb barriers led to increased critical current densities of J_c (4.2 K)=1×10 ⁴ A-cm^-2 and J_c (1.8 K)=2.5×10^4Acm^-2 in a magnetic field of 20 T. In addition to the application of different powder purification methods, a series of quite different wire preparation techniques was performed. As starting materials either an unreacted powder mixture or a HIP prereacted Chevrel phase material with different contents of reacted phase was used. The final annealing of the wires was performed conventionally and under HIP conditions to test the densification of the Chevrel phase filaments. Both possible barrier materials, Ta and Nb, were used and compared with respect to the workability, the chemical reaction with the Chevrel phase filament during the final annealing, and the resulting prestress state in the filament