Influence of External Reinforcement on Strain Characteristics of Critical Current in BSCCO Superconducting Tapes

For the purpose of standardization of the critical current measurement, it is meaningful to describe how $I_{c}$ will behave as the stress/strain level changes. In this study, strain dependencies of the critical current $I_{c}$ in Ag-alloy sheathed multifilamentary Bi(2212) and Bi(2223) superconducting tapes were evaluated at 77K, 0T. The external reinforcement was accomplished by soldering AgMgNi alloy tapes onto single or both sides of the sample. With the external reinforcement to the Bi(2212) tape, the strength of the tapes increased but the critical current at the strain free state, $I_{c0}$ decreased in some cases. The strain for onset of the $I_{c}$ degradation, $\varepsilon$$_{\irr}$, increased with an increase of the reinforcing volume and then saturated to a certain value. The effect of external reinforcement on the degradation of $I_{c}$ due to the bending strain in the Bi(2223) tape was also examined. Contrary to the expectation, it showed a significant $I_{c}$ degradation even at a small strain of 0.4 %. The observations of damage morphologies gave a good explanation to the $I_{c}$ behavior.c/ behavior.r.