ABSTRACT
As magnets become larger and larger both in physical dimensions and with respect to magnetic fields and transport currents, the mechanical properties of the conductor itself become important engineering factors worthy of serious consideration. The composite superconductors consist essentially of fine superconducting filaments and metallic matrix. The Cu/Nb-Ti multifilamentary superconductor is a typical example of a bimetallic composite in which thousands of fine filaments of Nb-Ti alloy are embedded in a stabilizer composed of pure metallic materials. The rule-of-mixture method is applicable as a basis to analyze mechanical properties of the bimetallic composite. Usually, a tensile stress remains in the copper matrix at the annealing stage. For instance, when stress is released after tensile deformation, the composite is permanently deformed and the copper matrix usually remains under compression. The strain rate does not influence the tensile strength as much but makes the yield stress increase and the elongation decrease.
