Temperature effect on microstructure and electromagnetic performance of polycarbosilane and sugar-doped MgB2 wires

The effect of processing temperature on structural and superconducting properties of 10 wt.% sugar- and 10 wt.% PCS-doped MgB2 wires is systematically investigated. It is demonstrated that these dopants significantly enhance the electromagnetic performance of Fe-clad MgB2 superconductor and increase its potential for practical application. The enhancement of in-field critical current density (Jc(Ba)) and upper critical field (Bc2) is due to formation of a large amount of lattice defects caused by impurities and C substitution into the MgB2 crystal lattice. High temperature sintering of sugar-doped sample results in as high Bc2 value as 37 T (at 5 K), which correlates with higher level of C substitution into MgB2 crystal lattice in this sample. In contrast, for PCS doped MgB2 wire higher Bc2 value (32 T at 5 K) is observed at lower sintering temperatures. In spite of the fact that the level of C in the crystal lattice and Bc2 value are higher in the sugar doped MgB2 sample, this sample has lower Jc(Ba) when compared to the sample with PCS addition. We speculate that it is due to a higher level of MgO impurities in the sugar doped sample (18.6 wt.% compared to 9.15 wt.% in the PCS doped sample), which results in the dissipation of supercurrent flowing through this sample.