Insulation Coating of Rutherford Cable for Accelerator Applications

70315 This project will develop insulation for Rutherford cables, used I high energy physics research, that can be applied at almost any stage before a winding and a reaction-heat treatment. The insulation will be tough, adherent, abrasion resistant, and remain non-conducting during long exposure to radiation. This insulation will consume only a small fraction of the winding space; therefore, it will maximize the average coil current density compared to the currently used woven S-glass/resin type of insulation. A sol-gel insulation approach will be used to demonstrate that the Rutherford cables for wind and react coils will have less space between windings than that presently taken up by X-glass/resin, resulting in a higher coil current density. The insulation will also have more durability than the currently used woven X-glass tape or braid. Phase I will investigate both mechanical and electricial properties in order to demonstrate the use of various Rutherford cable insulation approaches using sol-gel insulation. The AC loss characteristics of coated and stacked cables will be evaluated. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new insulation should result in more efficient wind and react coils using Nb3Sn superconductors, and should be used in applications such as accelerator magnets, MRI magnets, and NMR insert coils.