Magnet and wire technology at the K.U.Leuven Pulsed Field laboratory
The K.U.Leuven Pulsed Field Facility is well equipped to accommodate a large variety of experiments in solid-state physics under extreme conditions of high magnetic fields (>50 T) and low temperatures (down to 50 mK). This is supported by an extensive research program focused on the development of advanced concepts and materials for increasing the attainable magnetic fields as well as the reliability and service life of pulsed field coils. Pulsed field magnets with optimized reinforcement as well as multi-composite (MC) wire are under development. The combination of Zylon/spl reg/ for internal reinforcement and strong axial compression has resulted in the development of 75 T class pulsed magnets using soft copper as the conductor material. The MC wire is a new concept; it consists of a glass fiber sleeve braided around a core containing thin conductor wires and reinforcement fibers. The core composition and geometry can be varied to obtain the required properties of strength and electrical conductivity. For a proof of principle, an MC wire was developed with an ultimate tensile strength of 1 GPa and a conductivity of 38% IACS at 300 K.