Microstructure, texture and magnetic properties of Ni–Cu–W substrates for coated conductors

Abstract

The microstructure, texture, hardness and magnetization have been investigated in a series of strongly cube-textured (Ni95W5)100–xCux samples with x=0, 5, 10 and 15at% Cu. It is found that the addition of 5at% Cu to the Ni–5at% W alloy results in a substantial decrease of the Curie temperature and in a reduction of the saturation magnetization without significant modification of the microstructure and the texture. This additionally alloyed material is only slightly softer than the Ni–5at% W substrate. Although the Curie temperature and saturation magnetization decrease in the samples with higher concentrations of copper, increasing the Cu-content to 10at% and 15at% leads to increased frequencies of annealing twins in the cube-textured matrix. It is suggested that the (Ni95W5)100–xCux alloy with x=5at% Cu may be a good candidate material for using as a substrate for coated conductors.