Reinforced aluminum as a superconducting magnet stabilizer

The behavior of reinforced, high purity aluminum suitable for use as a superconducting magnet stabilizer has been studied. Wire samples strained cyclically exhibit a saturation value in residual resistance ratio after a few thousand cycles. The percentage change in resistance ratio from its initial value is found to be linear with strain up to strains of 0.0035 for all specimens tested so far. At 0.2% strain this change is 48% by the thousandth cycle. The transverse magnetoresistance of the composite material varies linearly above 2 tesla, which is consistent with previously published data for high purity aluminum. On the basis of these tests, reinforced aluminum appears to be quite suitable for use as a superconducting magnet stabilizer material.