Recent Advances in the Development of Low-Cost Ceramic-Based Magnet Insulation

The wind-and-react production of complex Nb₃Sn magnets requires that the coils be wound using un-reacted conductor materials, which are then reacted at 600 to 700degC to produce the superconducting phase. Application of the electrical insulation prior to the heat treatment enables more efficient construction of these magnets and minimizes handling of the strain-sensitive superconductor. Ceramic-based composite insulation materials have been successfully used to produce Nb₃Sn magnets via a wind-and-react process. In this work, the mechanical and thermal properties of lower-cost ceramic insulation materials are reported. This insulation provides the compression and shear strengths needed for magnet applications, and offers increased stiffness and thermal conductivity as compared to S2-glass-reinforced polymers.