Superconducting joint for superconducting wires and coils and method of forming

Claim 1

The method of liberating niobium-titanium superconducting strands from a matrix metal which comprises dissolving the matrix metal from around a plurality of ends of the superconducting strands to liberate the strands from the matrix metal, said dissolution occurring in a liquid metal at a temperature below that at which the superconducting properties of the superconducting strands are impaired.

Claim 2

The method of liberating niobium-titanium superconducting strands from a matrix metal which comprises dissolving the matrix metal from around a plurality of ends of the superconducting strands to liberate the strands from the matrix metal, said dissolution occurring in a liquid metal at a temperature below that at which the superconducting properties of the superconducting strands are impaired.

Claim 14

The method of forming a superconducting joint which comprises providing at least one elongated matrix metal having a set of niobium-titanium superconducting strands extending lengthwise thereof, employing a solvent liquid metal to dissolve matrix from around a plurality of ends of the conductor to liberate sets of superconducting strands from the matrix metal, coating the sets of liberated strands with a liquid metal superconductive solder, bringing the sets of liberated strands into proximity and freezing the liquid superconducting solder about the sets of strands extending from the plurality of copper wire ends.

Claim 15

The method of forming a superconducting joint which comprises providing at least one elongated matrix metal having a set of niobium-titanium superconducting strands extending lengthwise thereof, employing a solvent liquid metal to dissolve matrix from around a plurality of ends of the conductor to liberate sets of superconducting strands from the matrix metal, coating the sets of liberated strands with a liquid metal superconductive solder, bringing the sets of liberated strands into proximity and freezing the liquid superconducting solder about the sets of strands extending from the plurality of copper wire ends.

Claim 20

The method of forming a superconductor coil which comprises forming a superconductor wire to have at least one strand of superconductor disposed in a carrier metal wire, immersing the ends of the superconductor wire in first low melting liquid metal to dissolve the carrier metal from said at least one strand without oxidation of the exposed surface of said strand, replacing said first liquid metal by a second low melting molten metal of a superconducting solder, forming a strand to strand superconducting joint of the end sections of said wire by urging the exposed surfaces of said strands together while coated with said second molten metal, and allowing said second low melting molten metal to solidify to hold the end sections of said strand together as a superconducting joint.

Claim 21

The method of forming a superconductor coil which comprises forming a superconductor wire to have at least one strand of superconductor disposed in a carrier metal wire, immersing the ends of the superconductor wire in first low melting liquid metal to dissolve the carrier metal from said at least one strand without oxidation of the exposed surface of said strand, replacing said first liquid metal by a second low melting molten metal of a superconducting solder, forming a strand to strand superconducting joint of the end sections of said wire by urging the exposed surfaces of said strands together while coated with said second molten metal, and allowing said second low melting molten metal to solidify to hold the end sections of said strand together as a superconducting joint.

Claim 22

The method of forming a superconductor wire end adapted to be formed to another superconducting wire, comprising dissolving a matrix metal from around a plurality of ends of superconductor strands to liberate the superconductor strands, said dissolution occurring in a liquid metal, replacing the liquid metal with a superconductor solder metal, and freezing the strands in said solder metal.

Claim 23

The method of forming a superconductor wire end adapted to be formed to another superconducting wire, comprising dissolving a matrix metal from around a plurality of ends of superconductor strands to liberate the superconductor strands, said dissolution occurring in a liquid metal, replacing the liquid metal with a superconductor solder metal, and freezing the strands in said solder metal.