Transformation Heat Treatment of Rapidly Quenched Nb3A1 Precursor Monitored in situ by High Energy Synchrotron Diffraction

Nb3Al superconductors are studied for use in high field magnets. Fine grained Nb3Al with nearly stoichiometric Al content is obtained by a Rapid Heating Quenching and Transformation (RHQT) process. We describe a non destructive in situ study of the transformation process step of a RHQ Nb3Al precursor wire with ramp rates of either 120 °C/h or 800 °C/h. High energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements show the transformation from a Nb(Al)SS supersaturated solid solution into Nb3Al. When heating with a ramp rate of 120 °C/h a strong reduction of the Nb(Al)SS (110) diffraction peak component is observed when the temperature exceeds 660 °C. Additional diffraction peaks are detectable in the approximate temperature interval 610 °C - 750 °C and significant Nb3Al growth is observed above 730 °C.