ABSTRACT
This chapter will describe how recent progress in composite techniques has been successfully applied to produce superconducting composites. The chapter is divided into three subjects. First, a brief theoretical treatment of composite superconductors is given to show why it is necessary to have a combination of fine filaments and the stabilized metal, and why the composite conductor must be twisted, stranded or reinforced. Second, some typical composite techniques are described, which are the same as for manufacturing other functional meso-scopic or nano-scopic composite materials. In particular, techniques of metallurgical bonding, metallurgical heat treatment and non-equilibrium reactions are explained, and typical composite superconducting products are described. Finally, the characteristic functions of commercial composite superconductors are described and it is shown how they depend on parameters such as critical current density, a.c. loss, and mechanical property to perform well and realize their requirements as industrial superconducting materials.
