Studies on the multifilamentary V3Ga wire

The stability of the multifilamentary(MF) V3Ga wire under pulsed excitation and the effect of the aluminum addition to the Cu-Ga alloy matrix have been investigated. Small coils wound by the MF V3Ga wire and by a similar MF Nb-Ti wire have been excited with a speed ranging 0.5-200 kOe/sec. The critical current of the MF V3Ga wire coil does not degrade up to an exciting speed as high as 200 kOe/sec, while that of the MF Nb-Ti wire coil decreases rapidly in exciting speed higher than 20 kOe/sec. The instability phenomena, e.g. flux jumps and training effects are much smaller in the MF V3Ga wire than in the MF Nb-Ti wire. The addition of aluminum in the Cu-Ga alloy matrix enhances the formation of V3Ga and increases the critical current. The partial substitution of aluminum for gallium in the Cu-Ga alloy matrix seems to be promising for increasing the current-carrying capacity and decreasing the cost of the wire.