Seminar By Akihiro Kikuchi, National Institute for Materials Science

Title: The Ultrafine Superconducting Wires and Flexible Cables

Series: MS&T Seminar

Abstract: We are promoting the research and development of ultrafine superconducting wires with diameters smaller than a human hair. In principle, the bending strain decreases by decreasing the wire diameter; therefore, we may expect that the brittle compound or brittle oxide superconducting wires will become flexible through the wire diameter reduction. This is a significant advantage of applying the React and Wind method for magnet fabrication, as it minimizes fabrication costs and improves magnetic field quality. So far, we have successfully fabricated bronze-processed Nb3Sn wire with diameters ranging from 20 to 50 microns, jelly-roll-processed Nb3Al wires with diameters ranging from 10 to 50 microns, and powder-in-tube-processed MgB2 wire with diameters ranging from 15 to 50 microns. Recently, we demonstrated the fabrication of silver-sheathed Bi2212 mono-core wire with a diameter of 50 microns. Those results will be shown in this seminar.

Short Bio: Dr. Akihiro Kikuchi is Group Leader at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan. He earned a PhD. in Metallurgy, Materials Science, and Engineering from Tokai University. Dr. Kikuchi specializes in advanced superconducting wires, including Nb₃Al, Nb₃Sn, and MgB₂. He pioneered the Rapid Heating/Quenching (RHQ) process for Nb₃Al wires, enabling high critical current density and improved strain tolerance for high-field accelerator magnets. He developed the first Nb₃Al Rutherford cable and continues to innovate in the development of bronze-route Nb₃Sn wires and flexible cables for fusion magnets. His work focuses on microstructural control, multifilamentary design, and cost-effective fabrication for applications in particle accelerators, fusion reactors, and NMR systems.