Development of magnesium diboride (MgB2) wires and magnets using in situ strand fabrication method

Since 2001 when magnesium diboride (MgB2) was first reported to have a transition temperature of 39 K, conductor development has progressed to where MgB2 superconductor wire in kilometer-long piece-lengths has been demonstrated in magnets and coils. Work has started on demonstrating MgB2 wire in superconducting devices now that the wire is available commercially. MgB2 superconductors and coils have the potential to be integrated in a variety of commercial applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, fault current limiters, transformers, motors, generators, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators, magnetic separation, magnetic levitation, energy storage, and high energy physics applications. This paper discusses the progress on MgB2 conductor and coil development in the last several years at Hyper Tech Research, Inc. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.