Obtaining and stability verification of superconducting phases of the Nb–Al and Nb–Sn systems by mechanical alloying and low-temperature heat treatments

The development of Nb3Al and Nb3Sn superconductors is of great interest for the applied superconductivity area. These intermetallics composites are obtained normally by heat treatment reactions at high temperature. Processes that allow formation of the superconducting phases at lower temperatures (<1000 °C), particularly for Nb3Al, are of great interest. The present work studies phase formation and stability of Nb3Al and Nb3Sn superconducting phases using mechanical alloying (high energy ball milling). Our main objective was to form composites near stoichiometry, which could be transformed into the superconducting phases using low-temperature heat treatments. High purity Nb–Sn and Nb–Al powders were mixed to generate the required superconducting phases (Nb–25 at.%Sn and Nb–25 at.%Al) in an argon atmosphere glove-box. After milling in a Fritsch mill, the samples were compressed in a hydraulic uniaxial press and encapsulated in evacuated quartz tubes for heat treatment. The compressed and heat treated samples were characterized using X-ray diffractometry. Microstructure and chemical analysis were accomplished using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry. Nb3Al XRD peaks were observed after the sintering at 800 °C for the sample milled for 30 h. Nb3Sn XRD peaks could be observed even before the heat treatment.