Dispersion-Strengthened Silver Alumina for Sheathing $\hbox {Bi}_{2}\hbox {Sr}_{2}\hbox {CaCu}_{2}\hbox {O}_{8 + {x}}$ Multifilamentary Wire

High-strength high-elastic-modulus dispersion-strengthened (DS) silver aluminum alloys are studied for sheathing Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_{8 + x} (Bi2212) round wire. DS is an effective method for producing a fine grain metallurgical structure that is resistant to softening during high-temperature heat treatment. Here, DS Ag/0.5-wt.% Al (AgAl) alloy sheet is produced using powder metallurgy and is compared with Ag/0.2-wt.% Mg (AgMg) alloy, which is currently the most common alloy used for Bi2212 wire. Room temperature (RT), 77- and 4.0-K tensile tests, Vickers microhardness, optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and electrical resistivity measurements are compared. Furthermore, Bi2212/AgMg and Bi2212/AgAl wires are produced and compared for short-sample and coil I_c (4.2 K; self-field). It is found that the AgAl solid wire shows high yield stress and ultimate tensile strength in the annealed condition at both RT and 4.0 K, as well as significant ductility at 4.0 K. Electrical transport measurements show that the Bi2212/AgAl wires perform as well or better than Bi2212/AgMg wires. Furthermore, no leakage is observed after partial melt processing (PMP) of Bi2212/AgAl spirals. After PMP, the Bi2212/AgAl wire not only has yield and tensile stresses slightly higher than those of the Bi2212/AgMg wire but also exhibits >; 2% elongation, which is several times higher than that of Bi2212/AgMg.