Deformation and Ic degradation behavior in bent Bi-2223 tapes under pressurized liquid nitrogen

The I-C degradation behaviors of Bi-2223 superconducting tapes under pressurized liquid nitrogen were investigated using a newly developed sample holder which gives a series of bending strains to a sample. Four kinds of commercially available multifilamentary Bi-2223 superconducting tapes were used. At atmospheric pressure, the I-C degradation behavior depended upon the reinforcement adopted, the tapes externally reinforced or densified by over pressure showed better bending strain tolerance than the Ag alloy-sheathed Bi-2223 tapes. But these tapes showed a larger I-C degradation when pressurized to 1 MPa in liquid nitrogen. For all samples, after depressurization to atmospheric pressure from 1 MPa, the I-C was completely recovered to its initial values at atmospheric pressure. When the samples were warmed up to room temperature after being depressurized from I MPa, ballooning occurred at some parts of some samples. It was found that the larger degradation of I-C occurred at the regions where significant ballooning occurred.