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Metallurgy of superconducting materials
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Section V: "Material synthesis under pressure": results on properties of polycrystalline diamond and cubic BN compacts; hydrothermal-like synthesis; synthesis of borides, oxides and sulphides. Section VI: "HP geophysical and/or geological applications": mantle and core geophysics; dioxides, silicates, germanates, titanates, SiO2, SrGeO3, Mg2SiO4, mantle, alkali halides, glasses and rocks under pressure; rock mechanics. Section VII: "HP in energy resource recovery": oil and gas recovery; coal gasification; underground explosions; material modelling. Section VIII: "Mechanical properties at HP": plastic deformation at HP; fracture, yield strength of diamond, germanium and silicon; impact resistance of sintered diamonds; fatigue strength of tungsten carbides; HP vessels. Section IX: "Industrial applications of HP": hot isostatic processing; hydrostatic extrusion; explosive welding and forming. Section X: "Future directions in HP application": extremes of pressure and temperature; shock wave methods and investigations; sliding~anvils HP apparatus; HP generation by means of pulsed magnetic fields; equation-of-state experiments in the pressure region near 20 Mbar. The last section brings us to the ultimate border of the development of a branch of science, dear to many of us, called high pressure; although it demands great experimental skill and dedication, it gives the satisfaction of results beyond an alchemist's dreams. It is definitely worth buying this "milestone" inscribed HP-1977. A. RABINKIN
Metallurgy of Superconducting Materials, edited by Thomas Luhman and David DewHughes; published by Academic Press, New York, 1979; 457 pp.; price U.S. $49.50 The publication of a book on the metallurgy of superconducting materials is timely since the technical information compiled fills a need in the current practices of the scientists and engineers who are entering or working in this emerging field. Superconduct-
ing devices are no longer limited to use by research people. The large machines such as fusion devices, accelerators, generators, levitated trains and magnetohydrodynamic machines which are now being designed and built require high magnetic fields with a low energy consumption. Superconductivity after languishing in the laboratory for the last 70 years is finally coming of age. This book consists of ten chapters, each of which has been written by a researcher who is actively engaged in research and development in the field either of superconductivity or of superconducting materials and devices. The first section is an introduction to superconducting materials, the phenomena of superconductivity, a discussion of the elementary theory and a presentation of the irreversible properties of type II superconductors; the second section on magnets, motors and generators presents magnet design considerations and requirements followed by a discussion on the many types of magnets which are being built as well as other applications. In recognition of the practical importance of multifilamentary conductors the next two sections are devoted to the metallurgy of Nb-Ti conductors and the physical metallurgy of A15 compounds. Nb-Ti multifilamentary conductors are now used in the construction of the magnets of accelerators, and the A15 compound Nb3Sn in the form of a multifilamentary conductor will probably be required in magnets for fusion devices. The fifth chapter on superconductivity and electron microscopy is interesting in that the use of electron microscopy in the study o f superconductors, the use of superconducting lenses in the construction of electron microscopes and the advantages thereof are discussed. The sixth chapter presents the metallurgy of A15 conductors, their methods of fabrication and the effect of processing variables on mechanical and superconducting properties. In the next section on superconductors for power transmission, the requirements of superconductors for power application, the theory of a.c. losses in type II superconductors and the effect of conductor and cable design on losses are discussed in detail. The eighth chapter on the metallurgy of niobium surfaces is primarily concerned with
295
surface superconductivity and the effect of impurities on surface superconductivity -- a property of importance to the application of superconductors to r.f. cavities. In the ninth chapter information on the irradiation effects in superconducting materials (electrons, protons, neutrons) is summarized; these data are of importance to the design of devices which may be subjected to high radiation exposures under abnormal operating conditions. In the last section the future developments in superconducting materials are forecast and the possibility of finding materials with a
higher critical temperature than that of Nb3Ge is discussed. The editors are to be c o m m e n d e d for having participated in the writing of some of the chapters and for prevailing on their colleagues to prepare such a worthwhile book. It is the first b o o k to treat this field so thoroughly. Since the information is fairly basic, the b o o k should have a long life and should prove very valuable to students, practising scientists and engineers.
DAVID H. GURINSKY
Section V: "Material synthesis under pressure": results on properties of polycrystalline diamond and cubic BN compacts; hydrothermal-like synthesis; synthesis of borides, oxides and sulphides. Section VI: "HP geophysical and/or geological applications": mantle and core geophysics; dioxides, silicates, germanates, titanates, SiO2, SrGeO3, Mg2SiO4, mantle, alkali halides, glasses and rocks under pressure; rock mechanics. Section VII: "HP in energy resource recovery": oil and gas recovery; coal gasification; underground explosions; material modelling. Section VIII: "Mechanical properties at HP": plastic deformation at HP; fracture, yield strength of diamond, germanium and silicon; impact resistance of sintered diamonds; fatigue strength of tungsten carbides; HP vessels. Section IX: "Industrial applications of HP": hot isostatic processing; hydrostatic extrusion; explosive welding and forming. Section X: "Future directions in HP application": extremes of pressure and temperature; shock wave methods and investigations; sliding~anvils HP apparatus; HP generation by means of pulsed magnetic fields; equation-of-state experiments in the pressure region near 20 Mbar. The last section brings us to the ultimate border of the development of a branch of science, dear to many of us, called high pressure; although it demands great experimental skill and dedication, it gives the satisfaction of results beyond an alchemist's dreams. It is definitely worth buying this "milestone" inscribed HP-1977. A. RABINKIN
Metallurgy of Superconducting Materials, edited by Thomas Luhman and David DewHughes; published by Academic Press, New York, 1979; 457 pp.; price U.S. $49.50 The publication of a book on the metallurgy of superconducting materials is timely since the technical information compiled fills a need in the current practices of the scientists and engineers who are entering or working in this emerging field. Superconduct-
ing devices are no longer limited to use by research people. The large machines such as fusion devices, accelerators, generators, levitated trains and magnetohydrodynamic machines which are now being designed and built require high magnetic fields with a low energy consumption. Superconductivity after languishing in the laboratory for the last 70 years is finally coming of age. This book consists of ten chapters, each of which has been written by a researcher who is actively engaged in research and development in the field either of superconductivity or of superconducting materials and devices. The first section is an introduction to superconducting materials, the phenomena of superconductivity, a discussion of the elementary theory and a presentation of the irreversible properties of type II superconductors; the second section on magnets, motors and generators presents magnet design considerations and requirements followed by a discussion on the many types of magnets which are being built as well as other applications. In recognition of the practical importance of multifilamentary conductors the next two sections are devoted to the metallurgy of Nb-Ti conductors and the physical metallurgy of A15 compounds. Nb-Ti multifilamentary conductors are now used in the construction of the magnets of accelerators, and the A15 compound Nb3Sn in the form of a multifilamentary conductor will probably be required in magnets for fusion devices. The fifth chapter on superconductivity and electron microscopy is interesting in that the use of electron microscopy in the study o f superconductors, the use of superconducting lenses in the construction of electron microscopes and the advantages thereof are discussed. The sixth chapter presents the metallurgy of A15 conductors, their methods of fabrication and the effect of processing variables on mechanical and superconducting properties. In the next section on superconductors for power transmission, the requirements of superconductors for power application, the theory of a.c. losses in type II superconductors and the effect of conductor and cable design on losses are discussed in detail. The eighth chapter on the metallurgy of niobium surfaces is primarily concerned with
295
surface superconductivity and the effect of impurities on surface superconductivity -- a property of importance to the application of superconductors to r.f. cavities. In the ninth chapter information on the irradiation effects in superconducting materials (electrons, protons, neutrons) is summarized; these data are of importance to the design of devices which may be subjected to high radiation exposures under abnormal operating conditions. In the last section the future developments in superconducting materials are forecast and the possibility of finding materials with a
higher critical temperature than that of Nb3Ge is discussed. The editors are to be c o m m e n d e d for having participated in the writing of some of the chapters and for prevailing on their colleagues to prepare such a worthwhile book. It is the first b o o k to treat this field so thoroughly. Since the information is fairly basic, the b o o k should have a long life and should prove very valuable to students, practising scientists and engineers.
DAVID H. GURINSKY