ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews properties of materials used in superconducting bearings design is provided. It aims to provide electromechanical and cryogenic engineers with the tools for understanding and designing high-Tc superconducting magnetic bearings. Thrust SMBs are a particular type of rotational bearings which are designed to bear a predominantly axial load. Passive magnetic bearings do not present any additional mean to control stability during levitation. Load capacity of SMBs depends on several factors such as temperature, cooling strategy, the intensity and shape of the magnetic field, the bearing configuration and materials properties, among others. Superconducting Magnetic Bearings present a huge potential for improving the performance of advanced machinery: they can operate passively, without contact between moving parts; they eliminate all the tribological issues such as wear, generation of debris or need of lubrication and moreover, they provide very little energy losses, resulting in improved machine efficiency and sustainability.
