Jackson
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MgB2 compared to NbSn3
I am trying to determine what superconductor I should use for a project. I am making my own wires and materials so I have some questions about
viability of each conductor. For the NbSn3 I would either coat a Niobium wire with tin and heat to form a coating of NbSn3 or I would mix tin and
niobium metals together to make NbSn3, powder the mix, pack into a metal tube, heat, extrude using a wire rolling mil, and heat againl. For the MgB2 I
would mix Magnesium with Boron and heat under an inert atmosphere at 800-1000 C°. I would then powder it, pack into a copper or silver tube, heat,
extrude using a roller mill, and heat again. Niobium and tin are relatively expensive, and I do not have any experience in electroplating to plate the
tin onto the niobium. Boron and magnesium is cheaper and I already have magnesium. I can make the boron using the process of:
Na2B4O7 + HCl + H2O —> H3BO3 —> BO3 + Mg —> B
MgB2 has a higher critical field than NbSn3 and can be cooled for cheaper than NbSn3.
Are there any details i am not accounting for?
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12thealchemist
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I suspect it would be easier to form the intermetallic NbSn3 than MgB2 given boron's tendency to form many mixtures of B-B bonded species, for example
the hexaboride. Synthesising pure MgB2 could be a challenge, despite the reduced cost.
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clearly_not_atara
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I remember that once I asked a researcher who works with large superconducting magnets why NbSn3 is preferred over MgB2. He said that the former
compound is much more ductile and easy to work with while MgB2 does not form wires easily.
trace impurities can strongly affect the properties of a superconductor. Synthesizing the pure material is important.
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ninhydric1
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Niobium can be easily bought on Ebay as well, so making NbSn3 is probably a lot simpler than attempting to purify the various side products that might
arise from the Mg + B reaction.
The philosophy of one century is the common sense of the next.
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Jackson
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It sounds like I will probably go with NbSn3 due to it sounding like its easier to make successfully as compared to MgB2. Should I use a powder in
tube method or should I make films of tin on Niobium wire and heat to cause diffusion of the tin into the niobium?
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Jackson
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Another process is one where a bronze made of tin copper and niobium is draw into wires, wound into the desired shape, and heat treated to form the
Nb3Sn. I dont know if this is more viable or not but it seems like it could work.
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