Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
The method of manufacturing a superconductor having a superconductive intermetallic compound consisting of at least two elements comprising the steps of: a. surrounding a core of at least one ductile element of the compound with a jacket of a ductile matrix material; b. subjecting the core surrounded by the jacket to a cross section reducing process to form a wire of reduced cross section; c. applying to the surface of the wire of reduced cross section a sheath consisting of an alloy containing the remaining elements of the compound to be produced and a carrier metal; d. heat treating the wire and sheath to result in a diffusion of the remaining elements into the matrix and to cause a reaction of the remaining elements wth the core element to form the intermetallic compound.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
The method of manufacturing a superconductor having a superconductive intermetallic compound consisting of at least two elements comprising the steps of: a. surrounding a core of at least one ductile element of the compound with a jacket of a ductile matrix material; b. subjecting the core surrounded by the jacket to a cross section reducing process to form a wire of reduced cross section; c. applying to the surface of the wire of reduced cross section a sheath consisting of an alloy containing the remaining elements of the compound to be produced and a carrier metal; d. heat treating the wire and sheath to result in a diffusion of the remaining elements into the matrix and to cause a reaction of the remaining elements wth the core element to form the intermetallic compound.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said sheath of alloy is deposited by electroplating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said heat treatment is performed in two steps comprising: a. a first step at a lower temperature to cause diffusion of the remaining elements of the compound from the sheath into the matrix material; and b. a second step at a higher temperature to cause reaction of the remaining elements and the core element to form the intermetallic compound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the superconductive compound is an intermetallic compound consisting of two elements of the type A 3 B having an A-15 crystal structure and wherein the core consists of the element of the compound having a higher melting point with the element having the lower melting point being in the sheath alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the matrix material is one of the group consisting of copper, nickel, and a ductile alloy of at least two of the group consisting of copper, silver and nickel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the alloy deposited on the sheath contains as a carrier metal one of the group consisting of copper, silver, nickel and an alloy of at least two of the group consisting of copper, silver and nickel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the matrix material and the carrier metal are the same metal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the intermetallic compound is Nb 3 Sn.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein said core is niobium, said matrix jacket is copper and said sheath is a copper tin alloy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said sheath contains 3 to 15 atom-percent tin and the remainder copper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said sheath contains 12 atom-percent of tin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1 and further including the step of surrounding a plurality of cores of at least one ductile element of the compound with a ductile matrix material prior to said cross section reducing step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1 and further including the step of braiding a plurality of said wires of reduced cross section after deposition of said alloy sheath but before heat treatment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 13 and further including the step of annealing said wires after deposition of said alloy but before braiding, said annealing being carried out at a temperature sufficiently low to prevent formation of said intermetallic compound.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 1 and further including the step of depositing a coating of electrically and thermally highly conductive metal which is electrically normally conducting at the operating temperature of the superconductor on the surface of the conductor after heat treatment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 15 and further including the step of dissolving at least a portion of the sheath and matrix material surrounding said core after heat treatment, but prior to deposition of said electrically and thermally highly conductive metal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 16 wherein said coating is one of the group consisting of copper, silver and aluminum.