• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.7-12
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• 2020

Electromechanical properties of REBCO CC tapes are known to be limited by defects (cracks) that form in the brittle REBCO layer. These defects could be inherently acquired during the CC tapes' manufacturing process, such as slitting, and which can be initiated at the CC tapes' edges. If propagated and long enough, they are believed to cause critical current degradation and can substantially decrease the delamination strength of CC tapes. Currently, commercially available CC tapes from various manufacturers utilize different growth techniques for depositing the REBCO layers on the substrates in their CC tapes preparation. Their epitaxial techniques, unfortunately, cannot perfectly avoid the formation of particles, in which sometimes acts as current blocking defects, known as outgrowths. Collective research regarding the composition, size, and formation of these particles for various CC tapes with different deposition techniques are particularly uncommon in a single study. Most importantly, these particles might interact in one way or another to the existing cracks. Therefore, systematic investigation on the interactions between the cracks' development mechanism and particles on the REBCO superconducting layers of practical CC tapes are of great importance, especially in the design of superconducting devices. Here, a proper etching process was employed for the CC tapes to expose and observe the REBCO layers, clearly. The scanning electron microscope, field emission scanning microscope, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were utilized to observe the interactions between cracks and particles in various practical CC tapes. Particle compositions were identified whether as non-superconducting or superconducting and in what manner it interacts with the cracks were studied.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.57-61
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• 2022

One of the major applications of REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes is in superconducting magnets or coils that are designed for high magnet fields. For such applications, the CC tapes were exposed to a high level of stresses which includes uniaxial tensile or transverse compressive stresses resulting from a large magnetic field. Thus, CC tapes should endure such mechanical load or deformation that can influence their electromechanical performance during manufacturing, cool-down, and operation. It has been reported that the main cause of critical current (I_c) degradation in CC tapes utilized in coil windings for superconducting magnets was the delamination due to transversely applied stresses. In most high-magnetic-field applications, the operating limits of the CC tapes will likely be imposed by the electromechanical properties together with its I_c dependence on temperature and magnetic field. In this study, we examined the influence of the transverse compressive stress on the I_c degradation behaviors in various commercially available CC tapes which is important for magnet design Four differently processed REBCO CC tapes were adopted to examine their I_c degradation behaviors under transverse compression using an anvil test method and a newly developed instantaneous I_c measurement system. As a result, all REBCO CC tapes adopted showed robustness against transverse compressive stresses for REBCO coils, notably at transverse compressive stresses until 250 MPa. When the applied stress further increased, different Ic degradation behaviors were observed depending on the sample. Among them, the one that was fabricated by the IBAD/MOCVD process showed the highest compressive stress tolerance.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.31-35
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• 2018

When REBCO coated conductors (CCs) are applied to superconducting devices such as coils and magnets, they are subjected to deformation in various modes such as compression/tension bending, uniaxial/transverse tension and torsion. Despite outstanding performances by REBCO CC tapes, their electromechanical properties have been evaluated primarily under uniaxial tension, therefore data about the critical current ($I_c$) response in the compressive strain region are lacking. In this study, the characteristic responses of $I_c$ in REBCO CC tapes under bending strains in the range from tensile to compressive were evaluated. The springboard bending beam was used, wherein the CC tape sample was soldered onto the surface of the springboard. A Goldacker-type bending test rig, which lacks a support holding the sample during testing, was used as a comparator. Degradation in $I_c$ behaviors, including strain sensitivity, in differently processed REBCO CC tapes were examined based on the test rig used.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2022

The mechanical properties of REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes under uniaxial tension are mainly determined by the thick layer Components like the substrate and the stabilizer. Depending on the applications of the CC tapes, it is also needed to externally reinforce thin metallic foils to one side or both sides of the CC tapes. This study investigated the effect of additional stabilizer layers or lamination on the electrical resistivity and electromechanical properties in RCE-DR processed GdBCO CC tapes with different structures. The strain/stress tolerance of I_c in differently processed 12 mm-wide REBCO CC tapes under uniaxial tension at 77 K and self-field could be determined by the loading-unloading scheme. As a result, Sn-Cu stabilized CC tape showed a significant decrease in mechanical properties due to its soft but thick stabilizing layer. However, similar electromechanical properties have been observed on both Sn-Cu and Sn-stabilized CC tapes, the I_c degradation behavior was independent of whether the CC tape has an external reinforcement or different stabilizing layers.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.34-37
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• 2023

The practical application of REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes, vital for energy transmission (e.g., cable application) and high-field magnets (e.g., coil application), necessitates efficient and simple quality assessment procedures. This study introduces a systematic approach to assess the electromechanical properties of REBCO CC tapes under 77 K and self-field conditions. The approach involves customized tensile and bending tests that clarify the critical current (I_c) response of the CC tapes under mechanical loads induced by tension and bending. This study measures the retained Ic values of commercially available GdBCO CC tapes under 250 MPa tensile stress and 40 mm bending diameter. Through experimentation, the study demonstrates the resilience of these tapes and their suitability for applications. By presenting a simplified stress-based analysis and a bending test of the tapes, the study contributes to effective quality assessment methods for the development of practical superconducting products.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.7-16
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• 2014

Rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) coated conductor (CC) tapes have already been commercialized but still possess some issues in terms of manufacturing cost, anisotropic in-field performance, $I_c$ response to mechanical loads such as delamination, homogeneity of current transport property, and production length. Development on improving its performance properties to meet the needs in practical device applications is underway and simplification of the tape's architecture and manufacturing process are also being considered to enhance the performance-cost ratio. As compared to low temperature superconductors (LTS), high temperature superconductor (HTS) REBCO CC tapes provide a much wider range of operating temperature and a higher critical current density at 4.2 K making it more attractive in magnet and coil applications. The superior properties of the REBCO CC tapes under magnetic field have led to the development of superconducting magnets capable of producing field way above 23.5 T. In order to achieve its optimum performance, the electromechanical properties under different deformation modes and magnetic field should be evaluated for practical device design. This paper gives an overview of the effects of mechanical stress/strain on $I_c$ in HTS CC tapes due to uniaxial tension, bending deformation, transverse load, and including the electrical performance of a CC tape joint which were performed by our group at ANU in the last decade.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.15-20
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• 2018

No-insulation (NI) pancake magnets are fabricated using Rare earth-Barium-Copper Oxide (REBCO) coated conductor (CC) tapes, which enabled a very compact magnet in the aspects of high critical current density ($J_c$) and high mechanical strength by removing insulation and allowing thinner stabilizer. They have also advantages such as self-quench protection. Therefore, it does not need quench detection and protection that can be very challenging in a high critical temperature ($T_c$) superconducting magnet technology. Recently, it was reported that the NI REBCO CC magnets have some drawbacks of long charging time and high field ramp loss which will be a concern in the operation of cryocooled magnets. These issues are related to the turn-to-turn contact resistivity and can be released by managing it. This is also closely related to the activity of reducing the contact joint resistance in the case of CC joints for long length CC fabrication. Therefore, in this study, the turn-to-turn contact resistance ($R_c$) at the CC contact part of differently stabilized CC tapes was measured. The behaviors of $R_c$ at CC contact parts according to the applied contact pressure were investigated. The range of $R_c$ measured for CC tapes adopted will provide fundamental data for design and fabrication of the CC NI coils.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.49-52
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• 2014

REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes with superior mechanical and electromechanical properties are preferable in applications such as superconducting coils and magnets. The CC tapes should withstand factors that can affect their performance during fabrication and operation of its applications. In coil applications, CC tapes experience different mechanical constraints such as tensile or compressive stresses. Recently, the critical current ($I_c$) degradation of CC tapes used in coil applications due to delamination were already reported. Thermal cycling, coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch among constituent layers, screening current, etc. can induce excessive transverse tensile stresses that might lead to the degradation of $I_c$ in the CC tapes. Also, CC tapes might be subjected to very high magnetic fields that induce strong Lorentz force which possibly affects its performance in coil applications. Hence, investigation on the delamination mechanism of the CC tapes is very important in coiling, cooling, operation and design of prospect applications. In this study, the electromechanical properties of REBCO CC tapes fabricated by reactive co-evaporation by deposition and reaction (RCE-DR) under transversely applied loading were investigated. Delamination strength of the CC tape was determined using the anvil test. The $I_c$ degraded earlier under transverse tensile stress as compared to that under compressive one.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.25-28
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• 2017

In superconducting coil applications particularly in wet wound coils, coated conductor (CC) tapes are subjected to different type of stresses that could affect its electromechanical transport property. These include hoop stress acting along the length of the CC tape and the Lorentz force acting perpendicular to the CC tape's surface. Since the latter is commonly associated with the delamination problem of multi-layered REBCO CC tapes, more understanding and attention on the delamination phenomena induced in the case of coil applications are needed. Difference on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of each constituent layer of the CC tape, the bobbin, and the impregnating materials is the main causes of delamination in CC tapes when subjected to thermal and mechanical cycling. In the design of degradation-free superconducting coils, therefore, characterization of the delamination behaviors including mechanism and strength in the multi-layered REBCO CC tapes becomes a critical issue. Various trials to increase the delamination strength by improving interface characteristics at interlayers have been performed. In this study, in order to investigate the influences of laser cleaning and Ag annealing treated at the substrate side surface, transverse tensile tests were conducted under different sample configurations using $4.5mm{\times}8mm$ upper anvil. The mechanical delamination strength of differently processed CC samples was examined at room temperature (RT). As a result, the Sample 1 with the additional laser cleaning and Ag annealing processes and the Sample 2 with additional Ag annealing process only showed higher mechanical delamination strength as compared to the Sample 3 without such additional treatments. Sample 3 showed quite different behavior when the loading direction is to the substrate side where the delamination strength much lower as compared to other cases.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.34-38
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• 2019

Multilayered high-temperature superconductor coated conductor (CC) tapes are used in an extensive range of applications and are exposed to many stresses such as hoop stress, radial/transverse tensile stress under large Lorentz forces, and thermal stress while cooling if thermal expansion properties differ. Loads induced transversely at the tape surface inevitably create delamination phenomena in the multilayered CC tapes. Thus, delamination behaviors of CC tapes along the c-axis under transverse loading conditions, which can vary based on manufacturing process and constituent layers, must be characterized for applications. The anvil test method was used to mechanically investigate the delamination characteristics of various commercially available Ag-stabilized CC tapes at room temperature and 77 K, finding superior strength at the latter. The wide variations found depended on tape structure and fabrication technique. Fractographic morphologies of delaminated tapes supported the findings under transverse loading conditions.