2008 Volume 43 Issue 6 Pages 252-259
Bi2223 multifilamentary tapes with interfilamentary oxide barriers were fabricated and their AC loss properties were examined under AC external magnetic field. In order to avoid the side effect on Bi2223 phase formation during heat treatment, Ca2CuO3 and SrZrO3 with average grain sizes of 1-2 μm were selected as barrier materials. Furthermore, an additional Bi2212 powder corresponding to 20wt% were mixed with them to improve their deformation properties for cold working. The mixed oxide powders were introduced among the twisted Bi2223 filaments. The critical current densities (Jc) in the barrier tapes were 10-20% lower than those in the tapes without barriers. In a parallel field, the loss reduction in the SrZrO3/Bi2212 barrier tape is most remarkable because the continuity of the SrZrO3/Bi2212 barriers is far superior to the Ca2CuO3/Bi2212 barriers. At 50 mT around power-grid frequencies, parallel field losses in a twisted tape with SrZrO3/Bi2212 barriers are 80% lower than the non-twisted tape. From the frequency dependence of AC losses in a perpendicular field, it was confirmed that the transverse resistivity in the SrZrO3/Bi2212 barrier tape is 8-9 times higher than the tape without barriers. However, around the power-grid frequencies, the introduction of barrier reduces AC losses only slightly in a perpendicular field. The twist pitch of the present barrier tape (= 16 mm) is probably too long to decouple the filaments in a perpendicular field.
