APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN IMPROVED CERAMIC SUPERCONDUCTOR COATED METAL FIBER

摘要

An apparatus and method for manufacturing a ceramic superconductor coated electrically conductive fiber comprises a container for holding a nonaqueous solution in which particles of superconductor material are colloidally suspended to form a slurry. A relatively low voltage source is provided to influence the slurry with an electric field and this source is connected to a metal fiber to electrically bias the fiber as it is drawn through the slurry. Consequently, charged superconductor particles in the slurry attach to the electrically biased fiber. A magnet device is provided to influence the particles which are attached to the fiber with a magnetic field which is oriented relative to the fiber to align the superconductor particles on the fiber in a desired orientation. Subsequently, the coated fiber is heated to sinter the aligned particles and establish a ceramic superconductor shell on the electrically conductive fiber substrate. PAT: 10725-21.1