Investigation focused on the behavior of superconducting magnet and its constituent materials during and after exposure to nuclear radiation. The results will indicate the feasibility of their use in diverse applications and various environments

Autler, S. H.

Coffey, H. T.

Keller, E. L.

Patterson, A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

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March 1967	 Brief 67-10057 
.
	
NASA TECH BRIEF
	
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NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
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Mechanisms of Superconductivity Investigated by Nuclear Radiation 
Collector Lead 
Beam Collector 
IRRADIATION CRYOSTAT AND SAMPLE CONFIGURATION 
The advent of high field superconducting magnets 
in the past few years has led to many suggestions for 
their use in diverse applications and in a variety of 
environments. Among the many scientific and tech-
nological advances made during this same period is 
the ability to place instruments and men in space for 
long periods of time. Because nuclear radiation is ever 
present in space and can at times be quite intense, it 
is of prime importance that some means be provided 
for shielding space vehicles from this radiation. One 
method of accomplishing this is by surrounding the
vehicle with a superconducting magnet which pro-
duces a magnetic field strong enough to deflect 
incident charged particles from the vehicle. Other uses 
of superconducting magnets which will expose them to 
radiation environments are in bubble chambers, 
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation 
devices, and nuclear particle accelerators. It is néces-
sary, then, to know the behavior of the superconduct-
ing magnet and its constituent materials during and 
after exposure to various types of radiation. 
An investigation of some of these phenomena was 
(continued overleaf) 
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undertaken and a description of the research and a 
discussion of the effects that these might have on the 
performance of such magnets are contained in a 
technical report: "Investigation of the Mechanisms of 
Superconductivity by Nuclear Radiation," by E. L. 
Keller, H. T. Coffey, A. Patterson, and S. H. Autler, 
Westinghouse Research Laboratories, December 14, 
1965. 
Low temperature radiation effects in type-11 super-
conductors were studied using 15 MeV deuterons. 
Properties measured were critical current density jc, 
transition temperature T, upper critical field Hc2, 
and resistivity p. Materials studied were Nb-61%Ti, 
Nb-25%Zr, Nb3Sn, Nb, and Pb. The samples were 
irradiated at about 30°K in a cryostat. 
The following are some of the test results: Resis-
tivity was generally increased during irradiation and 
Tc decreased. Changes in Hc2 (generally reductions) 
are correlated with the changes in Tc and p. Reduc-
tions of about 20% in jc of cold worked NbTi and 
NbZr were observed whereas the only jc effect in
strain-free NbZr was the production of a peak effect 
near Hc2. Large jc changes were found in Nb3Sn, an 
increase in low jc material and a decrease in high jc 
material. The induced effects in the alloys and pure 
metals were reduced by 75% or more in warming the 
samples to room temperature. In Nb3Sn less than 25% 
of the induced effects were recovered by annealing at 
300° K. 
Note: 
Copies of the report are available from: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Huntsville, Alabama 35812 
Reference: B67-10057 
Patent status: 
Inquiries about obtaining rights for the commercial 
use of this invention may be made to NASA, Code 
GP, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Source: E. L. Keller, H. T. Coffey, 
A. Patterson, and S. H. Autler 
(M-FS- 1944) 
Brief 67-10057	 Category 02


Mechanisms of superconductivity investigated by nuclear radiation

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