Effect of strain on the critical parameters of V2(Hf, Zr) Laves phase composite superconductors

Strain effects on the critical parameters of composite-processed V2(Hf, Zr) Laves phase superconductors have been examined. The critical temperature is found to be insensitive to the strain induced by the thermal differential contraction between the composite components. Critical current versus uniaxial strain curves obtained are completely flat at magnetic fields up to 19 T. It also turns out that the bulk upper critical field shows essentially no sensitivity to uniaxial strain. These results, which are quite different from those reported for A15 compound superconductors, are discussed in terms of the structural insensitivity of the Laves phase superconductor. Fractography suggests that the mechanical properties of V2(Hf, Zr) composite conductors may be improved by the grain refinement of component alloys.