Enhanced Transport Current in MgB sub(2) Superconducting Wire through Metallic Fe Addition

The structural and superconducting properties of iron sheathed mono-filamentary superconducting wires of MgB sub(2) with and without Fe addition processed at a relatively low temperature of 600 [degrees]C were investigated. The transport critical current density (J sub()c of the superconducting composite wires is found to increase steadily with an increase in Fe content to an optimum of 10 wt.% is reached. The magnetic J sub()cand flux pinning analysis of the samples carried out up to a field of 9 T also show significant enhancements throughout the entire field of study. Another observation is that the T sub()cof the composites doesn't vary much, indicating that the added Fe has not gone in to the MgB sub(2) lattice.