Preparation and characterization of Sc doped MgB₂ wires

The in-situ technique was used to manufacture scandium (Sc) doped MgB2 wires in a composite Cu–Nb sheath. After reaction at 700 °C, at most 1 at.% Mg was replaced by Sc in the MgB2 phase, without significant influence on its superconducting transition temperature. For higher Sc concentrations in the nominal composition, the formation of Sc–rich impurity phases was evidenced by SEM/EDS observations.

The critical current density and accommodation field of the wires are weakly dependant on the Sc content. It is believed that these effects are related more to modifications of the thermal behaviour of the precursor powders revealed by DTA measurements than to actual doping. The best performance was obtained in a wire with Mg:Sc = 0.995_0.005 atomic ratio.