Home Blog

Blog

Niobium-titanium tube

The application of niobium-titanium tubings (NbTi) in superconducting cables is crucial, especially in high-tech fields such as high energy physics, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), power transmission, and particle accelerators. Niobium titanium alloy is one of the most commonly used commercial superconducting materials, which has good superconductivity, mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, especially at low temperatures. As the core material of superconducting cable, niobium-titanium tube provides a solid foundation for the development of modern superconducting technology.

1. Superconducting characteristics of Nb-Ti alloy
Niobium titanium alloys have excellent superconducting properties, and their critical temperature (that is, the temperature at which they exhibit superconductivity) is about 10K. By cooling the niobium-titanium tube to near absolute zero (typically using liquid helium to reduce its temperature to 4.2K), the cable can efficiently transmit current in a zero-resistance state. Niobium titanium alloy can maintain stable superconductivity under strong magnetic field and high current density, which is suitable for applications in high energy physics and nuclear magnetic resonance and other equipment requiring strong magnetic field.

2. Manufacture of superconducting cables
In the manufacture of superconducting cable, niobium-titanium tube is mainly used as the outer layer of superconductor wire, covering niobium-titanium superconducting wire core. These cables are usually composed of hundreds to thousands of superconducting wires, each wire contains a number of niobium-titanium superconducting wires, through the composite with non-superconducting materials such as copper, so that the cable can work efficiently in high current density and low temperature environment. Niobium-titanium tube cladding can not only protect the internal superconducting wire from mechanical damage, but also improve the overall strength and flexibility of the cable, ensuring that the cable is not easily broken or deformed during installation and operation.

3. Application in power transmission
Niobium-titanium alloys tubings used in superconducting cable can greatly improve the efficiency of power transmission. While conventional cables generate a large amount of energy loss (in the form of heat) when transmitting large currents, superconducting cables can transmit currents almost lossless due to their zero resistance. Especially in high-density power transmission and urban grid applications, the use of niobium-titanium tube superconducting cable can greatly reduce energy loss, and reduce the footprint of the power infrastructure and maintenance costs.

4. Applications in particle accelerators and MRI
Nb-Ti alloys tubes are also widely used in the manufacture of superconducting magnets in particle accelerators and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices. Whereas strong magnetic fields are needed in particle accelerators to accelerate charged particles, superconducting magnets are able to generate stable magnetic fields at extremely high current. As a key component of superconducting cable, niobium-titanium alloys tube can efficiently transmit large currents in superconducting magnets to ensure magnetic field strength and stability. Similarly, in MRI equipment, superconducting magnets generate strong magnetic fields through niobium-titanium superconducting cables for imaging the internal structure of the human body, and the superconducting properties of niobium-titanium tubes directly affect the imaging quality of MRI equipment.

5. Advantages of niobium-titanium tubes
High critical current density: Niobium titanium alloy can transmit high density current at low temperatures, suitable for high strength applications.
Mechanical strength and flexibility: Niobium-titanium tubes have strong mechanical properties to ensure the stability and durability of superconducting cables during operation.
High efficiency and low temperature performance: Niobium titanium alloy can maintain good superconductivity at very low temperatures, suitable for a variety of superconducting applications requiring extreme conditions.

Fortu Tech can produce and process NbTi alloys billet, NbTi alloys sheet, NbTi alloys plate, NbTi alloys rod, NbTi alloys wire, NbTi alloys tubes.