Properties of high-Tc wires made by the metallic precursor process

The metallic precursor process, used in the production of high-temperature superconducting ceramics, exploits the relatively high formability of the metallic state to fabricate multifilament wires with excellent transport and mechanical properties. Multifilament wires, containing 9,583 filaments, exceed by tenfold the filament counts achieved by any other process. Oxide critical current densities of 17.7 kA/cm² at 77 K in self-field surpass the best electrical performance reported for any other process used to fabricate multifilament composite wires. The mechanical properties of these wires approach the behavior of ideal composites, resulting in the flexibility, durability, and strain tolerance required for large-scale use in power generation, distribution, and end-use applications such as motors and current limiters.