US3829963A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fabricating a composite superconductor including a superconductive intermetallic compound
Assignee: Imperial Metal Industries Kynoch Ltd
•
Filing: 1972-01-24
•
Granted: 1974-08-20
•
Expires: 1992-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a superconductor comprising a superconductive intermetallic compound of at least two elements, includes the steps of producing a composite precursor comprising at least one filament which comprises one of said elements and is embedded in and supported by a matrix material, coverting at least part of the matrix material to a substance comprising the remainder of said elements, and reacting together said elements to produce said compound.
Inventors
- 👤 Dougall I Mc
- 👤 A Barber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0128; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/80; Y10S505/801; Y10S505/805; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/917; Y10S505/918; Y10S505/919; Y10S505/921; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises niobium filaments in a copper matrix, the precursor is coated with tin and the coated precursor is heated whereby the tin diffuses through the copper matrix and reacts with the niobium filaments to form the superconductive intermetallic compound Nb3Sn.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the remainder of said elements are applied by vapouR deposition on to the matrix material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the tin coating is applied to the precursor from a molten bath of tin at low temperature such as to minimize interdiffusion of copper and tin, said matrix is then homogenized by heating the composite at 400*-1,000*C and the composite is then heat treated to produce the desired Nb3Sn intermetallic compound, the tin application and homogenizing steps being repeated several times before the heat treatment is effected to react the Nb and Sn to form the desired Nb3Sn.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the matrix material contains a small portion of the remainder of the elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the matrix material is chosen from the group consisting of copper, silver and nickel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the at least one filament is formed of niobium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the coating is applied by vapour depositing tin onto the matrix material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the remainder of the elements are diffused into the matrix material at a first temperature and the reaction takes place at a second temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 in which at least three separate coatings of the remainder of the elements are diffused into the matrix material at the first temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 10 in which the first temperature is in the range 450* to 800*C, and the second temperature is in the range 700* to 900*C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 in which the precursor is passed through a vessel containing the vapour.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 in which the precursor passes around rotatable cylinders in the vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the said remainder of said elements are electroplated on to the precursor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3218693A
Cited
GB1039316A
Cited
US3397084A
Cited
US3674553A
Cited
US3652967A
Cited
US3699647A
Cited
US3625662A
Cited
US3778894A
Cited
US3731374A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-19 | 1978-02-18 | 1978-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-19 | 1982-02-18 | 1982-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-19 | 1986-02-18 | 1986-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |